What alternatives are there to cremation when someone dies?
Cremation has become the default choice for most people when they are thinking about planning their funeral, with nearly 8 out of ten people choosing it, but what are the alternatives to cremation that you can choose from?
At the time of writing, winter 2023, the only alternative to cremation is to be buried. The Co-Op Funeralcare is exploring resomation, known as water cremation, but it is yet to become a nationwide option.
With cremations being so popular, it might be that you’ve never been to a burial before, so you might be unsure about if they’re the right choice for you. However, they’re worth considering as an alternative to cremation.
There is of course, no right or wrong decision, you choose what is right for you and your family. For some, having cremation and interring or scattering the ashes is their preferred choice, and for others a burial is the right choice. Here are some reasons why you might consider a burial as an alternative to a cremation.
A single sense of ending
A cremation is a multi step process. You have a funeral service and leave your person in their coffin at the crematorium. They are then cremated and their ashes returned to you up to five days later. You can then have them interred or scattered or even put them in pride of place on the mantelpiece.
A burial is a single step, the body is laid to rest and you say goodbye. Once your person is buried there isn’t another step to go through or more decisions to make.
It is a different sense of ending, a final goodbye and that single step might be easier for some people to manage in their grief.
Burials can be a beautiful alternative to cremation
Cemeteries give you a place to visit and sit with your person after they’ve been buried and there are more choices than ever about where you might lay them to rest.
If you’re not keen on the neat and tidy council cemeteries there are more and more natural burial grounds opening where you can be buried in beautiful countryside or woodland surroundings.
Great Bradley Cottage in Tiverton has stunning views over Exmoor and Sharpham in Totnes looks out over the river Dart.
Burials can be more sustainable
Burials at natural burial grounds, especially if you choose a coffin of wicker, cardboard or even a shroud, have a much lower carbon footprint and environmental impact than cremations.
You can even get buried in your garden.
I was surprised, so perhaps you will be too, to learn that you can get buried on your own land so long as there is no risk to polluting groundwater. Which means if you’ve got a particular connection to your land, perhaps as a farmer or gardener then you could rest for eternity under your favourite tree.
There’s no time constraint for the service
Crematoriums have fixed time slots for their services, which means that if you want a service that’s longer than half an hour you have to book a double slot – which isn’t always possible.
At a natural burial ground you can take as long as you like and create a service and experience that is more tailored to your or your person’s preferences.
That might be a simple committal with a ceremony of remembrance at home afterwards, or it could be a full afternoon of celebration with a picnic lunch, memories and sharing.
Burial as an alternative to cremation, it’s your choice
As a funeral celebrant I attend more cremation services than I do burial services, and the first time I attended one I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, once I’d led a burial service at a natural burial ground and subsequent memorial services I decided that this was what I would choose for myself when I died.
Natural burial grounds provide a peaceful and uplifting alternative to cremation or conventional cemeteries. If you’d like to talk about creating your own burial and memorial service, drop me an email at [email protected]
