3 modern takes on the traditional funeral service

Today, funeral services include the usual caskets and cremation, but have you considered green alternatives and online services?

Just a few years ago, the only personal alternative funeral services you had to choose from were cremation or the traditional burial with a casket. Now, you still have those options but can also consider green alternative funeral services and online options. While no one likes planning for their final encore, it's important to be prepared (for your loved ones at least). Here's how each of these choices can impact the funeral you're planning.

In the past, cremation was the only personal alternative funeral service you could possibly choose. Instead of buying a casket and putting your body into the ground, you could have your ashes scattered in the wind or carried off by the sea. These options are still available, and there are even more now to choose from.

When you've dedicated your life to reducing your impact on nature, your funeral should follow that same goal. Biodegradable caskets and urns are a great way to make a funeral greener. There are designs for urns that are specifically created to float on water before dissolving and sinking into the sea. There are even caskets that look great at a wake and funeral, but quickly return to the earth once they're buried. Choosing one of these options can help you create a unique and personal alternative funeral service with a green twist that honours a life of environmental stewardship.

The world is getting smaller and people are living their lives around the globe. However, it can be very difficult to return home when a friend or loved one dies. Taking a few days off from work for a funeral is easy enough. Taking a week or two for travel to and from a funeral isn't typically possible. This is why so many people are now considering online funeral services. Having a funeral, graveside ceremony, memorial service, or wake streamed online is not only possible – it has become relatively common. Friends and family members around the world can login to a private site to watch the video of this service in real-time. Also, the video can be stored and shared for future viewing in the event that schedules don't line up or other timing issues prevent friends and family from being there in person. In this way, personal alternative funeral services online can help connect a global community of friends and family as they mourn the loss of a loved one.