And For The Rebels...

As one can see, mostly traditional burial methods are listed below.

 

There exist, however, more imaginative methods, all of which are quite possible! All of the possibilities listed below also require cremation, and are simply different possibilities of commemorating the ashes. 

The Biodegradable Urn.

Created by the company Urna Bios, this system uses your ashes to nourish a tree seed, which is all packaged in a biodegradable container, making it possible to “become” a tree. 

More information can be acquired at http://www.urnabios.com/use.php.

The “Memorial Reef.” 

Provided by the Neptune Society, this method gives you the possibility of placing the ashes in a cement-based reef starter, which not only creates an entirely new ecosystem, and is also a memorable way of being buried. Though you can order a cement-ash sculpture, it is also possible for you to participate in the creation of the cement-ash sculpture. The "planting" of the sculpture into the sea can also be a form of ceremony for your loved one.

Information about Memorial Reefs can be found at  http://www.neptunesociety.com/memorial-reef

LifeGems 

This another way to remember your loved ones. These are gems in which the ashes (or lock of hair) from the deceased are compressed into a gem that can be formed into jewelry as a keepsake of the loved one. 

http://www.lifegem.com

There also exists the option of compressing a loved one’s ashes into a Vinyl record, which could, ideally, play their “theme music” and could be a reminder of that person. These alternative burial methods go to show how there exist many possibilities to choose when deciding on a burial method. 

http://www.andvinyly.com

Natural Burials

There exist many different options if one decides to opt for a "green burial."

The environmental impact of each burial type varies, as well as the cost, varies depending on the method of burial. 

*These choices of burials have been influenced by Mark Harris's book Grave Matters.

1) The "Plain Pine Box." 

According to Harris, using, for example, “a plain pine box,” in which the deceased is simply placed in the coffin, reduces the interference of any costly embalming, as well as reducing the amount of toxic chemicals and un-degradable materials. In this case the burial expense amounts only to the cost of the coffin and the paperwork, this natural coffin usually in the $400 to $900 range, and the paperwork amounting to around $100. 

2) The Backyard Burial.

A “backyard burial” is also environmentally friendly and much less costly, and though it can only be done in certain states, eliminates the use of a vault as well as the usage of embalmment. In this case, price is determined by how the body is buried, though the lowest price range would be simple $100 for the paperwork.

3) The Natural Cemetery.

This type of burial, according to Harris, requires the deceased individual to be buried in bio-degradable coffin, excluding vaults as well, and asks that the individual is not embalmed either. The burial site itself is usually in a remediation land plot, in which the soil of that environment is in fact lacking nutrients, and would benefit from the introduction of a decomposing body. This method is also relatively cheaper compared to the traditional embalming, as it averages around $1000, though this price could reduce depending on the natural cemetery site.

These methods of burial are all possible in North Carolina as well!

Cremation: All You Need To Know

Cremation is another common method of burial. Currently, 25-30% people chose to cremate, and these figures have been increasing over the past twenty years.
Cremation follows these steps: 

Step 1:

Any scheduled ceremonies, rites of passage, or viewings have been completed. All authorization forms and permits must be completed and signed.

Step 2:

The funeral director or cremation provider should be made aware if the decedent has a pacemaker, prosthesis, or any other mechanical or radioactive devices or implants, as they may have to be removed prior to cremation. The funeral director or cremation provider should also be made aware if the decedent was recently treated with any radioactive medication.

All personal possessions or valuable materials, should also be removed before going to the crematory. 

Step 3:

The casket the deceased will be cremated in must also be selected; the state of North Carolina requires bodies to be encased combustible, leak-proof, rigid, covered container, if a casket is not being used.

Note: The state of North Carolina also requires a waiting period of 24 hours from the time of death before the human remains may be cremated.

Step 4:
The cremation process begins with the placement of the casket (or container) in the cremation chamber where it's subjected to intense heat and flame reaching temperatures between 1,400 and 1,800 degrees fahrenheit.
The time for cremation to be completed varies with the size and weight of each human remains, but usually takes between 1 1/2 and 3 hours.

Step 5:
After a cooling period, the cremated remains are then swept or raked from the cremation chamber.
Cremated remains, depending on the bone structure of the decedent, will weigh between three and nine pounds, and are usually white in color, but can be other colors due to temperature variations and other factors.

Step 6:
The crematory should be provided with an urn in which the cremated remains will be placed. If no urn is provided or the urn is not large enough to hold all the remains, the crematory will place the remains or any excess in a container made of plastic, light metal, cardboard, unfinished wood, or other suitable material to hold the remains until an urn is acquired or the cremated remains are scattered.

Step 7:

The urn or the container containing the cremated remains will be returned to you or the individual cemetery or funeral home you have designated on the cremation authorization form.

If it hasn't already been decided on the final resting place for the cremated remains, you may want to consult the professional who assisted you on the many options available. Options can include:

• placement of the urn containing the cremated remains in an indoor or outdoor mausoleum or columbarium
• interment of the urn containing the cremated remains in a family burial plot or in a special urn garden that many cemeteries provide for cremated remains
• scattering of the cremated remains in a cemetery garden especially created and dedicated for this purpose
• scattering the remains at sea or on land in accordance with state/provincial or local laws
• the urn may, of course, also be taken to the home of a loved one, but plans should be made for an eventual permanent resting place.

Though it does consume much energy to initiate, cremation can be one tenth of the cost of embalming, though averaging around $1,500 to $4,000 if arranged through a funeral home. The body itself leaves also much less toxic chemicals than embalming, and the most environmentally-impactful aspect are the chemicals released during the cremation. Therefor, the level of toxicity (and amount of money spent) rests on what type of coffin the body is burned in. 
The standard cardboard box is about $50, while other coffins are as expensive as $2,750 dollars. 

Cremation also gives the family many options with how to deal with their loved ones, giving the possibility of scattering their remains, or keeping the ashes. 

Embalming in Charlotte-Mecklenburg

The Charlotte-Mecklemburg region in North Carolina has many funeral homes. All funeral homes listed offer both embalming and cremation. 

Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home
http://raymerfh.com
16901 Old Statesville Rd
Huntersville
(704) 892-9669

James Funeral Home
http://jamesfuneralhomelkn.com
10520 Arahova Dr
Huntersville(704) 584-9004

Cavin-Cook Funeral Home
http://www.cavin-cook.com
494 E Plaza Dr
Mooresville(704) 664-3363

Whitely's Funeral Home
http://www.whitleysfuneralhome.com
1748 Dale Earnhardt Blvd
Kannapolis
(704) 933-2222

*Forest Lawn West Funeral and Cremation Service
http://www.dignitymemorial.com/forest-lawn-west-funeral-cremation/en-us/index.page
4601 Freedom Dr
Charlotte
(704) 395-0055

*McEwen Funeral Service Derita Chapel
http://www.dignitymemorial.com/mcewen-funeral-service-derita-chapel/en-us/index.page
6300 Mallard Creek Rd
Charlotte
(704) 596-3291

*McEwen Funeral Service at Sharon Memorial Park
http://www.dignitymemorial.com/mcewen-funeral-services/en-us/index.page
5716 Monroe Rd
Charlotte
(704) 537-5011

*These three Funeral Homes are managed by the same company.

These possibilities all offer complete management of the burial process, from embalming or cremation to the public viewing, to the burial in the designated burial grounds. 

Embalming 101

Embalming is a method of preparing and preserving a body for funerary ceremony and burial. The most common method currently used in the United States, embalming became socially acceptable during the Civil War, in which the multitudes of dead soldiers needed to be preserved in order to be shipped back to their families to be buried. 
Currently, the majority of people chose to embalm, and this remains the traditional method of burial.

According to the Boone Family Funeral Home, here are the steps taken in order to prepare a body for embalmment. 

STEP 1- Pre-Embalming Prep

First, funeral home personnel lay the remains out on a stainless steel or porcelain embalming table, not unlike those used for an autopsy. They then remove all of the clothing off the remains, and either clean and return them to the next of kin or destroy them as they would do with any bedclothes that accompany the remains. Next, funeral home personnel carefully inventory any jewelry, usually taping or tying rings in place, so they do not disappear. Other jewelry and glasses are removed during embalming and then replaced on the remains.

There are several methods of closing the mouth. The prime consideration is to have the lips meet naturally. If the mouth is closed too loosely, the funeral director cannot produce a pleasant look, and if the mouth is closed too tightly, the area under the nose puckers, giving the upper lip a distinctly unnatural expression, sometimes appearing to scowl at the mourners. The funeral director will occasionally widen the lower lip to improve a face's appearance.

STEP 2- Preparation

The funeral director cleans the remains surface with a disinfectant spray or solution by sponging it onto the remains. Next, the funeral director positions the remains. He relieves rigor mortis (the stiffening of muscle tissue due to chemical change) by flexing, bending and massaging the arms and legs. Then he or she will move the limbs to a suitable position, usually with the legs extended and arms at the sides. To begin the embalming process, which is the removal of blood, and replacing it with a formaldehyde based fluid, a small incision is usually made on the remains right side of the lower neck. It is at this position that two of the largest circulatory vessels are located. The carotid artery and the jugular vein.

STEP 3- Embalming Process

Incisions are made in both vessels, and a tube connected to the embalming fluid pump is placed into the carotid artery, another tube is placed into the jugular vein, this is called a drain tube. The basic theory is to pump embalming fluid into the artery, and this will cause the blood to return through the veins and flow outside the remains for disposal. Approximately 3 gallons of a mixture of fluid and water are circulated through the remains for thorough disinfections and preservation to take place. In most cases, this will be the only point of injection of the embalming fluid. There are times when clots and other factors stop the flow of fluid through out the whole system, and at these times, other points of injection are necessary in order to do a complete and thorough embalming. There are many factors which go into the process, which cannot be explained here due to space limitations, but some of the factors that the funeral director must assess before embalming are the mode of death, the weight of the remains, the general overall condition of the remains, any disease associated with the remains, etc. These factors determine the types and strengths of fluids used, and the type of embalming necessary to complete the task. Many fluids have a slight dye added to them, which gives the remains a pinkish glow, and also acts as a guide for the funeral director, making it visible for him to see the fluid as it travels through the remains. This type of embalming is known as arterial embalming.

The next step, called cavity embalming, is the application of full strength fluid to the internal organs of the remains. A small incision is made just above the navel, and a long needle called a trocar is placed inside the abdominal and thoracic cavities of the remains. The funeral director aspirates both the abdominal and thoracic cavities. Aspiration is the removal of blood and other bodily fluids, through suction. A suction pump, either water or electric powered is used to remove these fluids. The trocar is then attached to a gravity fed system, which caused full strength fluid to be put into each organ, causing a more through disinfection and preservation of the remains. All incisions are then sutured closed.

STEP 4- Washing

The funeral director then washes the remains with cool water, often adding a soapy, germicidal solution containing bleach to kill viruses and bacteria. He or she then cleans the fingernails, uses solvents to remove any stains on the remains, and applies other chemicals to remove scaling on the hands and face. Blood in the hair is removed with washing and chemicals. The funeral director then washes the hair, funeral directors may do this either before or after embalming;

Hairdressing is normally done after embalming has been completed.

Any hair stubble on the remains is shaved with a razor. Facial hair and any visible nose hair are removed from all bodies, including those of women and children who may have excess facial hair because of medications they received, or because they have downy hair on their upper lips and cheeks. Ear hairs are sometimes removed and any unsightly facial hairs are removed or trimmed. Funeral directors must be careful with beards and mustaches, since once accidentally removed, they can be difficult to properly replace.

STEP 5- Dressing and Casketing

The fifth and final step is dressing and casketing of the remains. Using the clothes provided by the family, the funeral director proceeds to dress the remains. It is common to use a full set of clothing, including underwear, socks or stockings, and sometime even shoes if so desired. Once dressed the funeral director will begin the cosmetizing of the face and hands of the remains. Usually a special mortuary cosmetic is used, although store bought cosmetics may be used also. This is the true art of the funeral director. It is through the proper application of cosmetics, that a more life-like presentation will be made. Too much or too little cosmetics have a definite affect on the appearance of the remains. Proper coloring must be determined, and the cosmetics adjusted as such.

The final step in the preparation of the remains is to place the remains in a casket. Adjustments to clothing, touching up of hair and cosmetics and properly fixing the interior of the casket. This final step is usually very time consuming and must be done properly. This is the result of all the other work combined. The funeral director tries to pose both the head and hands in a life-like position, and finishes up his work by making everything look tidy and uniform.

Though embalming is an ancient procedure, recent methods of embalming are rather toxic to the environment, but to the individual performing the embalming as well. Embalming is also very invasive, and having lips sewn shut, and eyes and other orifices glued shut is part of the process. Other facts to be known about embalming include that:

About 800,000 gallons of formaldehyde-based embalming fluid are buried in U.S. cemeteries every year.

Ten acres of a typical cemetery contain nearly 1,000 tons of casket steel, 20,000 tons of concrete in burial vaults, and enough wood used in coffins to build 40 homes.

The danger of mercury and particulate emissions from crematoriums is a concern, yet also a subject of controversy. More cost effective high temperature filters and metal abatement systems, which will become available in the next few years, may help to mitigate this problem.

In North Carolina, there is no law requiring individuals to embalm bodies to be buried. 
However, North Carolina law does require embalming to be done in the case of public viewing. 
Families can also act as their own funeral directors, as they don't have to hire a funeral home and can complete all the paperwork themselves.
There is also no state fund to pay for funerals for lower class families, and it is almost impossible to get a refund after 30 days when you buy graves and markers ahead of time.

Embalming is also rather expensive, ranging from $1,500 to $12,000. 

However, this traditional method of burial can be essential in allowing closure for the family, and helps ensure that the loved one is finally at rest.

The Overview

Throughout our history, society had developed multiple ways of “caring” for their dead. The ancient practice of burying the dead, and the concern in ones afterlife has prompted a wide variety of burial methods, these methods changing from culture to culture. According to the Ancient Encyclopedia History, burial processes were already used in ancient Sumer, where “food and tools” were buried with the dead. Egyptians constructed momentous structures to glorify their deceased pharoses, while Vikings famously combined “cremation” and a form of “burial at sea” to honor their war heroes and leaders. This variety of burial methods remains present to this day as well. Presently, the 21^st century has multiple possibilities for burying the dead, from the traditional embalmment, to the various sea burials, to even the now-returning natural cemeteries, each of these jointly reflecting how society evolves, as well as how environmental accountability is increasingly a factor in the burial process.

            Over the past 20^th century, embalming has been the most predominant form of burial. According to a local funeral home, the Boone Family Funeral Home, embalming is simply an ancient tradition that is now done to “allow adequate time between death and burial to observe social customs” and “to prevent the spread of infection.” Embalmment itself is done by taking out all the blood and gases from the body and the then inserting a disinfecting fluid, which also serves to “preserve” the individual. However, while this description may seem rather friendly and tame, Mark Harris argues, in his book Grave Matters, the embalming is actually quite un-natural and unwholesome. The “fluid” used to disinfect and preserve the body is in fact a “formaldehyde-based preservative,” which is not only toxic to the environment, but is also a carcinogen and toxic to humans. For this liquid to be inserted, decomposing matter, blood and excess fluids need to be removed, this being done by using a “trocar,” which is a sharply-pointed surgical tube used to rid the body of waste and matter. Along with the formaldehyde preservative, gauze and gels are inserted to artificially soften and “fill” the body. Makeup, clothing, and hair are also done, finalizing the desired “restful look” for the viewing. However, this entire process requires high prices, often ranging around $800 to $900. As the entire process can be quite expensive, simply refrigerating the body is an effective method to temporarily stop the decomposition process and it is safe and eco-friendly. However, Funeral Homes in North Carolina are legislatively forced to require embalming in the case of a public viewing. Therefore, another option from traditional embalming is to embalm with Enigma, an eco-friendly embalming agent, instead of using formaldehyde. However, once the individual is embalmed, they are placed in an often-impermeable coffin, which is in turn buried in a vault, effectively containing the individual in its embalmed state for a longer amount of time. This coffin, the vault, the embalming, and all other funeral process adds up as well, and prices for an embalmed burial range between $5,000 to $12,000. This rather expensive and toxic process raises the question of whether embalming is the best solution for both the deceased individual and the environment.

            There exist, however, other popular solutions more beneficiary to the environment. According to the “Internet Cremation Society,” cremation is the second most-used burial method, and has been on the rise for the past twenty years. Though it does consume much energy to initiate, cremation is one tenth of the cost of embalming, and the body itself leaves much less toxic chemicals. The level of toxicity (and amount of money spent) rests on what type of coffin the body is burned in. The standard cardboard box is about $50, while other coffins are as expensive as $2,750 dollars. However, using cremation, many environmentally-geared burials are possible. Burial at sea, for example is a possible burial method. One way to achieve a sea burial is to scatter the ashes, something allowed by the U. S. government. Scattering ashes at sea is about as environmentally impactful as anywhere else, and the costs remain the same. Another way is to vault a body and cast it in the ocean. This method however, is rather regulated, and the EPA requires the process to be done three miles out and in waters at least six hundred feet deep, to “ensure[s] that the remains sink to the [sea] bottom rapidly and permanently.” Full-body sea burials also require embalmment, and the bodies are then placed in (usually) weighted vaults, further upsetting the marine ecosystem. Scattering ashes in the ocean is remains as costly as the cremation process (around $1,500), however full-body sea burials are much more expensive, as they also include the price of embalming, as well as shipping the body out to sea.

            The possibly “greenest” and cheaper methods of burial, however, are ones in which the deceased had made previous plans to their burial, and had actively considered “returning to the Earth” as part of their burial. According to Harris, using, for example, “a plain pine box,” in which the deceased is simply placed in the coffin, reduces the interference of any costly embalming, as well as reducing the amount of toxic chemicals and un-degradable materials. In this case the burial expense amounts only to the cost of the coffin and the paperwork, this natural coffin usually in the $400 to $900 range, and the paperwork amounting to around $100. A “backyard burial” is also environmentally friendly and much less costly, and though it can only be done in certain states, eliminates the use of a vault as well as the usage of embalmment. In this case, price is determined by how the body is buried, though the lowest price range would be simple $100 for the paperwork.

Considered the most environmentally friendly, however, is the “natural cemetery.” This type of burial, according to Harris, requires the deceased individual to be buried in bio-degradable coffin, excluding vaults as well, and asks that the individual is not embalmed either. The burial site itself is usually in a remediation land plot, in which the soil of that environment is in fact lacking nutrients, and would benefit from the introduction of a decomposing body. This method is also relatively cheaper compared to the traditional embalming, as it averages around 1000 dollars, though this price could reduce depending on the natural cemetery site.

There also exists other alternative methods, such as the Biodegradable Urn, Memorial Reefs, LifeGems, and “And Vinyl.” Biodegradable Urns, created from the company Urna Bios, uses your ashes to nourish a tree seed, which is all packaged in a biodegradable container, making it possible to “become” a tree.  The “Memorial Reef,” (provided by the Neptune Society) gives you the possibility of placing the ashes in a cement-based reef starter, which not only creates an entirely new ecosystem, but is also a memorable way of being buried. LifeGems are gems in which the ashes (or lock of hair) from the deceased are compressed into a gem that can be formed into jewelry as a keepsake of the loved one. Finally, there exists the option of compressing a loved one’s ashes into a Vinyl record, which could, ideally, play their “theme music” and could be a reminder of that person. These alternative burial methods go to show how there exist many possibilities to choose when deciding on a burial method.

With these options, I hope I can facilitate the research process of grieving families, improving the decision making choice so that it most benefits the family and society as a whole.

 

Basically, a "Embalming vs. Natural Cemetery" Diagram!

Here is the traditional "plain pine box," in keeping the burial simple and pure.

Body bag? (I was simply googling various burial methods, this method was used in a natural cemetery!)