The Alternatives

Burial is often becoming a more outdated form of disposing of the physical remains, for a few reasons. For one thing, there’s a possibility of exhumation because of a cemetery going broke or relocating, –this makes family members uneasy. Also, because deteriorating bodies, and deteriorating coffins, are a source of concern for some worried about the possible pollution of groundwater in towns that have large cemeteries. And then there is still a natural concern of taking up space, –cemeteries and graveyards are like big golf courses for dead people. Many of the deceased wish for their remains to be disposed of in a more environmentally conscientious way. Here are the alternatives:

Ash Jump – Cremated skydivers are often released into the wind either by plane, or during a free fall. Naturally, you can’t do this with un-cremated deceased skydivers.
Burial At Sea – The practice of depositing the deceased, sometimes in a coffin, sometimes not, into either  sea, or an ocean, and sometimes a river, if it’s large enough. Those who died during a ship’s long voyage were often buried at sea, though some still electively choose to be buried at sea after death.
Funerary Cannibalism – The practice of eating the dead, is still practiced today in some cultures, but mostly disappeared with modern science. This can be either for absorbing strength, or knowledge, spiritually closing the circle of life, by reabsorbing the body nutritionally, and physical back into its family or clan, or because the person doing the eating is insane. One culture, the Yanomami, first cremate the bodies, then eat the ashes mixed with banana paste.
Cremation – Plain old fashioned incineration, then the remains are placed inside either an urn, and in some cases, a coffin. The method is most popular amongst Hindus, but is catching on in other cultures as well. Also, the ashes can also be turned into a type of gem or jewel, which is similar to the process of creating synthetic diamonds.