English 280: The Journalistic Essay

by Emily Donnelly

Three family members crowd around a large clay-like structure.  It appears to be a creation intended for some giant fish tank, like a castle of sorts.  It stands about 2 feet tall and will easily fit your average saltwater fish.  In time, this creative memorial will house saltwater fish off the Gulf of Mexico.  The family members eagerly slap clay onto the sides of the strange looking structure.  They are smiling as they add in the key ingredient, the remains of their lost loved one.

The family decided to call Eternal Reefs, an alternative memorial company, specializing in creating these natural reefs, when they lost their loved one.  At a time when the natural environment of wildlife is dwindling fast, this family took a bold step in choosing the right memorial and it looks like many others will be following in their wake.  Alternative burials and memorials are steadily gaining popularity in the United States these days and many people are skipping the traditional cemetery burial which has dominated the world of the dead for thousands of years.

Traditionally, the cemetery is the resting place of the deceased.  And while it is true that many bodies go unretrieved in cases like war and accidents, the cemetery still serves as the prominent place for a memorial to be set up.  Essentially, when dealing with death, something which no one can prove to completely understand, people tend to gravitate toward a physical memorial, whether it be a ritual like a funeral or some sort of marker like a gravestone.  Sometimes having a place to go and remember a loved one can help propel the healing process.  But the more necessary function served by the traditional cemetery is it provides a place to leave the remains of the dead.  Simultaneously, the cemetery is a place of rich cultural history and serves as a place where one can immerse himself into the culture of a past generation.

Many however have an aversion to the idea of a traditional gravesite burial.  Whether it be psychologically stressful to imagine their bodies underground when they die or whether they truly wish to be remembered in a non-conventional way, many people are choosing a more natural burial.

Many companies have appeared in recent years which offer people more alternatives for memorials or burials other than being buried in a cemetery.  One such company called Eternal Reefs, specializes in creating memorial reefs, part of which includes the remains of the deceased.  The company has seen in increase it popularity in recent years due to the now popular “go green” fad.  George Frankel, a spokesman for the company, said, “We believe that the entire paradigm surrounding memorialization is about to change. The concept of ‘natural burial’ is quickly growing in popularity.”  He believes that this, as he appropriately called it “shift in thinking” has several causes.  One factor is the breakdown of tradition in western society.  He pointed to the divorce rate and the overall breakup of the family unit’s closeness saying, “The idea of a family cemetery plot that used to include several generations of a family being interred at one site is disappearing.”

Frankel also mentioned two factors which are forefront on the minds’ of those looking for options.  People are looking at the value and the cost of a burial or memorial.  As it is no secret that death is expensive for the deceased’s family, many people are instead looking for the best value.  Frankel noted the reality that the funeral industry tends to categorize those who choose cremation for their deceased as “cheap” and not wanting to spend money.  He continued, “Our experience is very different. An Eternal Reef is not a cheap memorial, but people perceive ‘value’ in making a memorial reef that will actually benefit future generations.”  And benefiting future generations is what an Eternal Reef is all about.  The reefs which can be placed off the Gulf of Mexico or in the Atlantic, provide marine life with a natural setting to hide out.  The actual reefs look like large, clay, fish tank ornaments, where tetras and angelfish would hang out.  Essentially, they are havens for fish whose natural reefs are being destroyed on a daily basis by pollution.

Like Eternal Reefs, other companies offer alternative memorials for the deceased but unlike Eternal Reefs, these companies do not offer alternative burials. Frankel noted, “There are numerous memorial choices that can only utilize a small portion of remains, Life Gems, Space Services or Celestis, fireworks and paintings all use a small portion of the remains and they are memorials, but families still need to dispose of the majority of the rest of the remains.”  One company he mentioned, Celestis, is the first company to ever launch a portion of cremated remains into outer space.  Celestis offers several options to families wishing for an extravagant and memorable memorial.  For $9,995, one gram of cremated ashes can be launched into the moon’s orbit or even to the surface of the moon starting in 2010.  Not only that but the entire family can watch as the remains are launched by rocket into the universe.  Similarly, for $12,500 one can have a gram of his or her remains launched into deep space.

Celestis assures possible clients that their remains will not be scattered in space, therefore contributing to “orbital debris.”  Instead, the cremated remains which can vary from one to seven grams, are placed in modules or capsules which stay attached to the rocket being launched.  The company gained notoriety with their first launch in 1997 which held the remains of Timothy Leary and Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry.

For those who embrace traditional burial, they also have several options.  The most commonly practiced is a standard graveyard burial which involves a plot of land, a casket or coffin, and some sort of memorial marker such as a gravestone.  But the expenses for this type of burial quickly add up.  Not only are the plot, headstone, and casket expensive, many cemeteries require the purchase of what is called a grave liner.  Basically, the casket is placed within the grave liner to prevent it from sinking into the ground.  These are typically made from materials like concrete, fiberglass, stainless steel, copper, bronze or even plastic.  There is also the cost of embalmment.  Usually, when there is to be an open-casket style wake or funeral, embalmment is a must.  This is the work of a mortician or undertaker and involves the making up of the corpse’s physical appearance.  However, one can only naturally wonder what will happen to cemeteries when they run out of land.

Fortunately, most states by law require that about ten to fifteen percent of plot sales be put into the care and maintenance of the cemetery.  This involves the overall upkeep of the appearance, cleanliness, and condition of the cemetery.  Many people however, choose to have their bodies cremated after their death and simply have their ashes scattered in a cemetery.  Kristina, office manager of JJ Shepherd & Sons, Inc, a funeral service company located in Massachusetts believes that the number of people choosing cremation has “definitely risen in the past few years.”  She continued, “I would say our cremation rate to full burial rate is close to 50/50, and honestly, I would say about fifty percent of the families that choose cremation do bury the cremains.”  Having the body cremated is one thing that has helped free up extra and much needed space in cemeteries.

Another way to store remains, while simultaneously freeing up ground space is by having the remains kept in a mausoleum.  This is what is classically known as entombment.  Like the ancient Egyptians, people today can have their cremated or non-cremated remains stored above ground in a large, tomb-like building, which most often is located within a cemetery.  While it may sound pricey, the actual price is comparable to all the costs one would spend on an underground burial and one perk of community mausoleums is that they can be shared by several bodies, therefore, having the families split the cost.  Inside a mausoleum, crypts hold the caskets of non-cremated remains, while cremated remains are stored in niches (like urns).  While many choose mausoleum’s for their glorious and elegant appearance, many are thinking more practically.  Mausoleums are both clean and dry which comfort many who fear underground burials (which are known for essentially feeding bodies to bugs to put it lightly).  Mausoleums protect the body from the elements and allow for a more undisturbed decay.

Upon completion of the memorial reef, the family stops to take in the sight of it.  It sits among about a dozen others, similar to look at yet each containing individual differences.  The difference is simple; each reef contains the remains of a different deceased person and each one will also be put into a different location on the ocean floor.  But all of the reefs are memorials and generous at that.  They will all provide hideaways for saltwater fish to thrive in for centuries to come.  In a time where “going green” is not only fashionable but smart, many families are going a step further by memorializing their loved ones eternally in the ecosystem.