Cremation is a process by which the natural decay of the human body over time is sped up artificially. If done thoughtfully and with grace, the process can stand as a poignant acknowledgement of the human condition, and as such, can be a valuable means for those who experience the loss of a loved one to accept the realities of a world in which life and death are the norm.
Your choice: burial, scattering, or home memorial
The details involved in a memorial service, a burial or scattering service, and the final disposition of a loved one are many and varied, and are usually handled well by those to whom we turn in these times – funeral home directors, pastors, other or older family members, experienced friends. But remember that you have a say in these details, and that what you say through the details can help to honor the memory of a loved one and to ease the difficulty of their passing.
Some of those details center on the handling of the cremated remains, "ashes", during the memorial service and at the actual burial. The crematorium will deposit the remains in a plastic bag, which is usually placed by default into a cheap plastic or cardboard container. If you choose to bury or scatter the remains, rather than keeping them nearby in a memorial urn, then the choice of how you bury or scatter the ashes of your loved one can be an opportunity to celebrate their life.
Biodegradable urns for eco-friendly burial or scattering
This is why we are proud to offer a line of eco-friendly urns. These biodegradable cremation urns are beautiful enough to display at the memorial service (which eliminates the cost of renting a temporary urn from the funeral home), and, more importantly, provides an attractive and environmentally friendly way for you to engage in the process of returning the remains of your loved one back to the dust of the earth.
As the old adage goes,
“Return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”
- Genesis 3:19
Eco-friendly water burial or scattering
Scattering at sea can be done in two ways:
- Scattering (i.e. pouring) out the remains into the ocean
- Water burial, in which the urn is dropped into the ocean to slowly biodegrade
We have both eco-friendly scattering urns (for pouring) and biodegradable water scattering urns available. Several of our urns designed for pouring can be kept as a keepsake or memorial, or even repurposed in a life-affirming and beautiful way as bird houses. The water scattering urns are made so that you will not have to worry about wind out at sea; just place the entire urn into the water and it will float for a few minutes, then gracefully sink to the ocean floor where it will biodegrade over time and disperse the remains into the sea.
Eco-friendly ground burial or scattering
An eco-friendly ground burial can also be done two ways:
- Scattering (i.e. pouring) out the remains over land; often into a stream, off a high place, or near a favorite nature spot
- Traditional ground burial using a biodegradable cremation urn
Our scattering urns for pouring can be used for both ground and sea scattering (or even air scattering from a hot air balloon or helicopter). Our collection of ground burial urns includes biodegradable cardboard, wood, cornstarch, and even memorial tree urns, which use the remains to sustainably nourish and grow a memorial tree.
Eco-friendly storage or home display
Bamboo is a beautiful and sustainable wood product, and we use it for our eco-friendly bamboo cremation urns. These memorials are ideal as an eco-friendly option for home display or storage of cremated remains, as they are much sturdier than many of the biodegradable urns designed for scattering or burial.
Questions?
If you have further questions about our eco-friendly urns including burial, scattering, and water burial options, please call us (toll-free) at 877-900-5309.