Decomposition of the body
in the earth (after burial) is the slow oxidation of the body tissues.
Cremation, on the other hand, provides
rapid oxidation.
No
casket is legally required for cremation, just a simple container that is
strong enough to hold the body. This could be a box of rough boards,
pressboard, or heavy cardboard.
Some
crematoriums accept metal caskets; most require the container to be
combustible.
Cremation Choices
If
the body is cremated:
The
remains can be stored by the family - and perhaps kept on display - in an
urn or other container.
You may
take the remains in the simple cardboard box supplied by the crematory and
distribute ("scatter") them over the land or water.
The
remains can be placed in a niche within a columbarium.
The
remains can be buried in the ground in a regular plot or in a smaller
cremation plot.
The
remains can be entombed in a crypt within a mausoleum.
Here are some other reasons you might choose cremation.
1. Cremation is traditional in your family, religious group, or geographical area.
2. You prefer the body to return quickly and cleanly to the elements
3.
You have environmental concerns.
4. Perhaps you are worried about the use of valuable land for cemetery space,
or believe it is wrong to fill the ground with materials that won't erode, such
as metal coffins and concrete vaults.
5.
You want to keep the costs down.
Selecting
cremation does not mean, however, that you will have an inexpensive
funeral.
You
might still choose an expensive casket and/or a viewing, and/or decide to
have the cremated remains buried in the ground or placed in a columbarium.
These choices can bring your costs up to those of a traditional funeral.
Decisions
You Must Make If You Choose Cremation
Who
will do the cremation (a funeral home or a firm that specializes in direct
cremation)
Whether
to use an urn or container
What to
do with the remains
If you are distributing the remains:
Some
jurisdictions have laws prohibiting the scattering of remains; others require a
permit. Ask your funeral director.
Also
ask if there are any firms in your area that specialize in unique ways of
distributing the remains, such as using a plane to spread them over a mountain,
or a ship to scatter them at sea.
Think
of places that were especially loved by the deceased, close to home or far
away. You can walk in the woods, by a favourite lake, or on the old family
farm.
Be
sure to ask permission if you want to use private property.
What
about using the remains to create new life, by planting a tree? Some survivors
choose to mix the remains with the soil in flowerbeds and rose gardens at home.
Every time the roses bloom, you will be reminded of your loved one.
If you decide to do this, however, consider what will
happen if, some day, you move away.