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Burial or cremation? This is usually the first question people are asked when they plan someone’s funeral. You might even think that these are the only two options to choose from, since most people are sent off in one of these ways.

But what if you want to say goodbye in a way that fits your nan, brother, dad or auntie’s personality? There are other ways to give a final farewell that step way outside the funeral box.

Here are seven offbeat ways to remember the people you love the most:

1. Get back to nature

Caring for the environment might be important even after you’ve died. You could be cremated, skip embalming or be buried in a wicker coffin. (There are a lot more ways to plan an eco-friendly funeral besides these three!)

2. Sleep with the fishes

Another way to help the planet after death: become part of a coral reef! Cremation ashes are mixed with concrete and cast into “reef balls” that help coral grow and attract other marine life.

3. Turn over a new leaf

One more option for tree huggers: have cremation ashes planted with a tree or other plant. Biodegradable urns make this possible—housing a seed that will eventually mix with the ashes once the plant’s roots are strong enough.

4. Meet a soggy end

If neither burial nor cremation sound good to you, there’s a new option—alkaline hydrolysis. A water-based solution “decomposes” body tissue in a matter of hours, leaving just the bones behind. These are then turned into a powder, like what you get from traditional cremation.

5. Celebrate with a sparkle

Honour a fashionista by turning their remains into a diamond! Several companies use cremation ashes to grow precious gemstones. The result can then be turned into a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry.

6. Record a swan song

People often miss hearing a loved one’s voice after they’re gone. A vinyl record—pressed with some of their cremation ashes—could be a great way to keep their voice alive for years to come.

7. Go out with a bang

Want your funeral to be a happy occasion, not a sad one? What better way to do this than with a firework show using crackers made from your ashes!

Sources

1. NZ Herald, Eco-conscious funerals on the rise, October 2013

2. ABC News, Rest in Reef: Plan to add locals’ cremated ashes to concrete reef balls at Jurien Bay, December 2014

3. Wired, Turn your dead grandma into a tree with this smart planter, July 2017

4. BBC, Dissolving the dead: A radical alternative to burial and cremation, May 2017

5. Business Insider AU, Dead people are pets are being forged into sparkling blue diamonds—here’s how the process works, July 2017

6. Daily Mail, Music from beyond the grave: The UK firm making vinyl records from cremation ashes, July 2013

7. SBS, Fireworks funeral company makes ‘going out with a bang’ a reality, June 2014

 

About the author: Dollar Insurance is all about making insurance as painless as possible, with easy to get funeral cover, for just $1 a day. 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is of a general nature only and does not take into account your personal situation or goals. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs and seek independent financial advice, if required, to ensure an insurance product is suitable for you.

Any product information is correct at the time this article was published. For current product information, please visit the Dollar Insurance website.