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Burial alternatives

While traditional burials are still a common way to lay a loved one to rest, you have many options to consider. Burial alternatives offer a similar focus on remembrance and honoring your loved one, but the body isn't buried within the ground. Examples of burial alternatives are donation, cryonics, space burials, cremation, and even green burial. This is a highly personal choice, and it's a way to share your legacy.

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8 Cremation Alternatives for You or a Loved One

By Cassie Barthuly, BA in English

Burial urns and caskets

Burial urns and caskets are placed within the ground, typically in a cemetery. These come in all different types of materials, colors, and sizes. Burial urns hold cremated remains, while burial caskets hold the bodies of the deceased. Traditionally, these are buried 6 feet below the ground, and this is still common practice in most parts of the world today. The more you know about burial urns and caskets, the better prepared you'll be to make an informed decision.

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A Guide to Urns for Ashes: Types, Cost & Where to Buy

By Belinda McLeod, BA in Secondary Education

Green burials

While traditional burials are costly and take a toll on the environment, green burials offer a new alternative. In a green burial, the body is placed into the earth naturally, without the use of a metal casket or burial vault. The purpose of a green burial is to allow the body to naturally return to earth, similar to how humans were buried in ancient times. This is a more affordable, eco-friendly choice.

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Natural Burials Explained: Meaning, Cost & Planning

By Jasmine Tanguay, BA, MS

Religious & cultural burial traditions

There's much you can learn about a culture from their traditions around death and dying. Burial is an important way to say goodbye to loved ones in many parts of the world, and each culture has its own ways to honor the dead. From special prayers to wakes, these customs are a way for families to get the support they need while expressing grief over their loss.

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Guide to Death & Dying in Different Cultures Around the World

By Klaudia Krystyna