Exploring the Differences Between Burial and Cremation

When faced with the loss of a loved one, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed and unsure about what you should do next. Burial and cremation services in Guilderland, NY, are both common methods of dealing with the remains of a departed person, but which is the right choice for you?

This blog post explores some of the key differences between burial and cremation. Both are valid choices, it mostly comes down to personal preference.

Burial

When you choose burial, the body is placed in a coffin and buried in the ground. This is typically done in a cemetery, though some people may opt for private burial plots. Burial can be expensive because of the cost of procuring land, casket, and burial services. But it does offer some benefits.

Cremation

Cremation is a process by which a body is burned and processed into ashes. It’s often used as an alternative to burial, but it can be done alongside burial as well. Cremation is becoming increasingly popular for several reasons. It’s cheaper than burial, for one thing. And if you live in an area where land is scarce and expensive, cremation may be your only option.

Burial Vs. Cremation: Pros and Cons

1. Cost

As mentioned earlier, burial is often more expensive than cremation. This is mainly due to the cost of land and caskets. There is also the cost of digging, setting up, and maintaining the grave.

Cremation can be done in a simple cardboard container. In contrast, a traditional burial casket must be specially made and can cost thousands of dollars.

2. Environmental impact

Cremation is considered more environmentally friendly than burial. When you choose cremation, you’re choosing not to use up space in a cemetery and resources like wood or metal that would have gone into making a burial casket.

Also, there are no embalming chemicals used in cremation, so it’s better for the environment overall.

3. Options

The biggest disadvantage of burial is that it requires land. Cremation may be your only option if you live in an urban area where land is scarce. If you want to bury someone on your property or near home, even if the space is available, it’s not quite as simple as scattering cremation ashes.

If you want to be laid to rest in a specific area, cremation offers more options that don’t require access to land. Whereas in many cases, you are limited to the cemetery for burial, with cremation, you can choose to have your ashes buried at sea or kept in an urn. Cremated remains are also easier to transport than a body.

4. Personal preference

There are those who just prefer burial over cremation. It’s more natural because it follows the cycle of life and death that we see in nature. It’s also easier to trace the remains of buried loved ones than those whose ashes are scattered (although cremation offers other options as well.)

Many religions prefer or even encourage their members to choose burial over cremation when the time comes. On the other hand, if flexibility in options (final resting location, cost, memorial) is your priority, then cremation might be the more natural choice.

The Decision

So what’s the best way to handle the death of a loved one? The answer depends on what is most important to you. Cremation may seem the easier choice at first glance, but additional factors and costs, such as your memorial and funeral service choices, should be considered.

Whether you want burial or cremation, or both, our cremation service in Guilderland, NY, covers all. Call on us today for immediate assistance or to plan for the future.