Years ago there were very few options when it came to burying loved ones. However nowadays funeral directors and private burial companies can offer multiple options that allow people to be buried in a way that befits their desires and personalities. Here are a few less common ideas that present more unusual options as opposed to a simple cremation or church burial. 

Natural Burial

A natural burial is very simple. It's a burial without chemicals or coffins that can inhibit the breakdown of the body. The idea is that the body can decompose quickly naturally, whilst returning nutrients back to the earth. This eventually turns the remains back into soil. Some people even plant trees as a sort of makeshift grave marker and as way to remember the deceased.

Space Burial

Space burials are very costly and are priced by weight, often in grams. They way they work is by cremating the body before sending it into space with a designated space flight. The remains are then released into space or placed on the moon, depending on the service paid for. However the service must follow strict laws, as releasing debris into space constitutes space pollution.

Burial at Sea

Whilst burials at sea were commonplace amongst seam farers, they are less common with the average person living on the mainland. Burials at sea are often a popular choice with those who had a love of the ocean, however arranging this type of ceremony requires a little bit of thought and preparation. Not only do you need to consider the location of the burial, you also need to apply for permission as stated in the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981. This details how the body can be disposed of, including details on shipping lanes and the required minimum depth of 3000m, to avoid resurfacing or encounters with trawler ships. 

Eco Burial

Eco burials are very interesting. First the body is chemically frozen before being vibrated into a very fine dust. It then gets filtered in order to remove any metals, before being compacted what looks like a compost tablet. This is then set into the ground much in the same way as a natural burial, and feeds the surrounding vegetation to recycle nutrients. Again trees are often planted as an alternative to gravestones, however the difference with these burials comes down to space. They take up much less room that natural burials and are actually being considered as a solution for overcrowding in graveyards.

For more information, contact companies like Caring Funerals.