By M. Kotch

Source: Flickr.com

Some consider the resurgence of cremation nothing more than a “green” trend. History, however, points to the contrary. From ancient Indians to the Roman Empire to Buddhists today, the dead have long been laid to rest by cremation. The modern argument for cremation has gone in different directions; advocates believe cremation produces the least waste while some scientists argue that human remains would better serve the Earth by being buried under a tree.

There are more than environmental concerns to consider when burying our loved ones. Practical matters such as cost collide with sentiment and profound loss, making the decision of how to lay our loved ones to rest all the more difficult. That’s why it’s important to list your priorities—or the deceased’s—in addition to researching the pros and cons of all types of funeral arrangements depending on your faith, financial situation and many other factors.

If you find yourself uninterested in having a traditional funeral, here are some reasons to consider cremation.

•    Cost: The average traditional funeral (no bells, whistles or fancy caskets) costs over $8,000. The average fee for cremation in the U.S is $1,200. Even after you add the purchase of an urn for the remains, cremation costs represent a fraction of traditional burial prices.

•    Choice of Resting Place: cremated remains can be easily transported and scattered along the sea, piece of land or other location that holds a special place in your heart. The logistics of burying a loved one anywhere other than a designated cemetery can prove nearly impossible. From exorbitant costs of transporting a casket over long distances to travel arrangement to dealing with permits and fees, restrictions can make it far more challenging to bury a loved one near a favorite spot, particularly if that spot requires international travel.

•    Visit or Keep: The cremated remains of a loved can be placed in an urn that’s kept near you at home, buried in the ground with a headstone to mark the spot (in a biodegradable urn) or even turned into a gemstone that can be worn by you at all times. The same choices are not available when burying a loved in a casket that’s laid in the ground.

•    It’s Greener: While cremation emits carbon emissions and requires energy to complete the process, it does not introduce foreign objects or toxic substances (such as cement, caskets or embalming fluid) in the way that a traditional burial in casket does. Scientists may argue about which is more eco-friendly (cremation or burial in a biodegradable casket while foregoing embalming), but they do not argue about the detrimental effects that traditional burials have on the environment.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 at 2:07 pm and is filed under Planning a funeral. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.