There are many things to consider when choosing a cemetery plot for you or a loved one. Choosing a cemetery is an important choice since there are many factors involved in terms of personal and societal convenience and other issues.
Before choosing a plot for a cemetery it is important to research the ones near you and make comparisons between them considering the following vital questions:
Burial Options
- What is the cost of the plot and is there any additional fee associated with it?
This is an obvious question when you are making large investments. To get a complete idea of the total costs, it is important to understand any additional fees as well. Considering the structure of pricing, you can then analyze if it is high or low depending on the additional facilities it might provide. Sometimes you may come across a lower fee at the start only to be heavily charged later in other forms.
- What are the different options available?
The cemetery plots are usually available in a variety of sizes in different locations. Depending on the price of the location, if they are in an attractive area, they will cost more. The size can also vary from a small plot to a fully- fledged burial chamber area.
- Is it a real burial plot?
Do not fall for tricks like a land being sold which is behind some shed or similar. Make sure you purchase a plot that justifies the price for it in terms of both size and location. Any additional facilities is obviously preferred.
- Costs for operating the grave?
Do remember that the activity of opening and closing the grave is indeed a lot of work and the costs for it must be compensated by the incomes. Whether the cost is included in packages or as separate fees, it is essential to know them beforehand.
- Are there any maintenance costs?
If these costs are present, do know upfront whether they are a one -time fee or have to be paid annually.
- The person responsible for maintenance?
Some cemetery plots have a separate person to help maintain the site whereas the others might require the family to commit to doing so.
- Any restrictions on the casket usages?
While the FTC gives you the right to choose the casket you want to use, some sites may pose restrictions. For instance, cemetery sites who have committed to going green might only allow caskets made of eco-friendly materials and a few others might demand the casket to have a vault and a liner.
Make sure you consider all the factors before choosing a plot to avoid any bad situations later.
Natural Green Burial
Why do more and more people pre-plan for a more natural burial? Natural burial can be considered as one of the best options available out there for traditional burial. In today’s world, natural burial has received much attention, especially because of climatic changes. It can be considered as an eco-friendly method of burial when compared to the traditional burial.
From the recent studies, it has been identified that a lot of people who live out there in theworld pre-plan for natural burial. Before analyzing the reasons that have led individuals towards this decision, it is important to have a clear understanding on what natural burial is. Natural burial is not associated with a burial vault, a casket or embalming fluid. The remains of a dead person are placed into the earth directly through this method. This method would create an ideal environment for the dead body to decompose in a natural way. This process is associated with the least impact on the environment. In some cases, the dead body is placed inside a simple burial shroud or a biodegradable casket. During natural burial, heavy equipment or machinery is not being used in order to dig the grave site. In fact, the grave sites are dug through hands.
Plenty of reasons are available for the people to pre-plan for a more natural burial instead of traditional burial. People who live out there in the world are extremely concerned about the impact that is created on the environment by human beings. As mentioned earlier, natural burial has the ability to create minimum impact on the environment. If you are a person who is looking forward to minimize the carbon footprint after death, you must go for this option. On the other hand, some people think of natural burial as the traditional method available for burial. Before the commercialization and industrialization of funerals, dead bodies were buried using this method. By making the decision to go ahead with natural burial, you are taking a step to follow the footsteps of our ancestors.
Caskets are made out of a variety of toxic materials. When the remains or a person is buried along with a casket, those toxins would get leaked into the environment as it decomposes. The decomposition process isn’t a carbon neutral one as well. It would take a considerable period of time for the casket to break down into the soil. In most of the caskets, you will be able to find metal parts such as hinges and handles. They can slow down the time taken towards decomposition. On the other hand, a large amount of energy is being wasted during the process of manufacturing and transporting caskets. They can give life to a considerable amount of carbon emissions.
People who are concerned about making this world a better one for the future generations therefore think about going ahead with natural burial. If you also share the same dream, you can start pre-planning for it.
Burial Resources
Green Burial Council Natural Death Center Natural Burial Association
Check Out: Casket Companies
