• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Urn Garden Home
  • About

Life in the Garden

Matters of Life and Death

  • Blog Home
  • Confessions
  • Featured Products
  • Memorial Service Ideas
  • Pets

biodegradable urn

Private Paddle Out Ceremony

September 21, 2012 urngarden.com

Dear Mother Vintage Postcard

We’re seeing a shift lately in more families choosing to scatter the ashes either over water or a sacred space on land. One client has been on our mind this week as she prepared for a private ceremony to scatter her mother’s ashes.

Her mom has been gone for a couple of years now, and while they were very close, for the last two weeks the daughter had been having disturbing dreams about her mother. In the dreams her mom was upset with the daughter and on a couple of occasions would demand to know “What are you waiting for?”

Well, she was waiting on her sister. They weren’t that close, and geographically it wasn’t convenient. But lately the daughter felt it as if her mother was sending her a message that it was time to do something with the ashes. Her mom loved the beach, so she did the research for dispersing ashes in water and decided on a don’t ask, don’t tell private ash scattering ceremony.

She ordered the Journey water burial urn, checked the weather, took the rest of the week off, gathered her wake board, and planned to paddle out for small memorial service as we approach the first day Autumn. Just a girl and her mom at the beach.

Lenette,
Thank you so much for all your help.  True to your word, my order was delivered in time and was just what I needed.
Paddling out in about an hour to honor my Mom….

bio urns for ashes

Filed Under: ash scattering, Confessions, cremation, Memorial Service Ideas Tagged With: biodegradable urn, biodegradable urns, burial urn, burial urns, urn for ashes

Biodegradable Urns for California Water Burial

September 6, 2012 urngarden.com

The burial of cremated remains in water has become extremely popular and the container you use to disperse the ashes had better break down!
On June 25, 2012 California passed Bill AB1777 requiring any urn with cremated remains that is placed into the ocean, must biodegrade within 4 hours. You know what a good choice would be? A quick-dissolving urn for ashes  that is made from salt and complies with the new law!  Sand & Gelatin urns also dissolve quickly making them another perfect choice.

Sand urn

We don’t recommend placing any urn into the water from a beach or pier, current federal regulations state that a cremation urn should not be placed into water within three nautical miles of shore.

Suitable urns for deep water burial would be the award-winning Memento Urn and the Shell Urns both of which would work well for that type of memorial service.

For families who opt to scatter ashes the traditional way, pouring the ashes from the urn, we offer the popular and easy-to-use scattering tubes.

urn for scattering ashes

They are suitable for earth or water scattering and are available in eleven beautiful designs. These affordable scattering tubes can be recycled after the ceremony.

Urn Garden Biodegradable Urns

Filed Under: Advertising, cremation, Featured Products Tagged With: biodegradable urn, biodegradable urns, california ash scattering, organic urn

Biodegradable Urns Video

February 11, 2012 urngarden.com

Biodegradable urns are designed for families that have chosen to return their loved one to the earth in a pure form. Urn Garden is pleased to offer earth friendly urns for ashes that are made from sand, salt, paper,tree bark and other organic materials. The urns are durable, have no shelf life, and will NOT begin to biodegrade until buried or placed in water.

What You Should Know About Biodegradable Urns for Ashes

In keeping with the growing trend of green burials, more individuals are selecting cremation instead of taking the traditional route of being buried in caskets. By storing cremains in these types of biodegradable urns for ashes they are planning to have their remains scattered or buried instead of being displayed at home in customary urns or placed in niches at a cemetery.

Choosing Biodegradable Urns for Ashes

Environmental consciousness has grown throughout the country and because of this, traditional funerals are becoming less common. As more people choose cremation as an end-of-life arrangement, some are even deciding to have those ashes buried in a biodegradable urn in a green or natural cemetery or scattered in their favorite place in nature.

Biodegradable urns are less expensive alternatives because they are made from temporary materials that break down when planted in the earth or submerged in water. Consider choosing biodegradable urns for ashes when you know this is the type of final arrangement you or your loved one wants.

Types of Biodegradable Urns for Ashes

Biodegradable urns for ashes are made from a variety of materials, some used for earth burials while others are specifically for water burials. Make sure you know the type of burial you are planning before you purchase a biodegradable urn for ashes.

Earth biodegradable urns: These types deteriorate over time depending on their containers and where it’s buried. The more moist and healthy the soil, the faster it will break down. How quickly it degrades also depends on how deep the urn is buried too. These urns are made from several natural materials such as sand, bamboo, cornstarch, natural clay, peat, or recycled paper. You can also purchase urns with flower or trees embedded in the container so a green plant will grow over time,  another reminder of your loved one. Earth biodegradable urns come in various shapes such as pillows, boxes, unity hearts, or traditional urns.

Water biodegradable urns: These urns typically float for a brief period time and will sink gracefully. They are made from recycled paper, rock salt, gelatin, and sand. Typically, you may only be allowed to scatter ashes or put a water biodegradable urn in saltwater or you can bury it in the earth. They come in different styles such as tubes, pillows, sea shells, sea animals, Grecian urns, and balls of sand.

Before Burying or Scattering the Ashes
Each state has its own regulations regarding burial and scattering of ashes, many because of environmental laws. Your funeral director can guide you with the legalities.

biodegradable urn

Filed Under: Advertising Tagged With: biodegradable urn, burial urn, urn for ashes, urns for scattering ashes

Ash Scattering Ceremony in The Bahamas

June 1, 2011 urngarden.com

flag of bahamas

Scott bought a biodegradable urn for an ash scattering ceremony he planned for his mother-in-law in the Bahamas. He explains the paperwork process of transporting the urn filled with ashes from Texas to the Bahama beach.

Prior to beginning you will need the death certificate and certificate of cremation.  I have been told that sometimes they are one in the same however, most of the time they are two separate documents.  You will need to contact the Bahamas Ministry of Health, or that country’s equivalent. All documents should be faxed to them (make sure to make a follow up call and get names). At that point they will send written permission that will be signed by, in my case, the Chief at the Ministry of Health.  This document will have vital information on it regarding the deceased and in our case will mandate that you contact the Ministry of Health once there and make arrangements to have the burial at sea at least 10 miles off shore.  Now this form should be attached in some way to the remains so that customs officials, should they become curious of the contents of the urn will see what it is and can make simple phone calls to verify.  The last thing I wanted was for a customs agent to think it’s heroin or something and open it to test.   I learned that customs has little or nothing to do with the process.   Once we were there we went to my Mother-in-Law’s favorite beach and set her urn adrift.  This was about 50 yards from the shore in a deep harbor.  I would not suggest doing this in shallow water.

By the way the urns were perfect, thanks.

cremation urns

Related Articles:

Funeral for a Friend: Celebration at Sea

Dust in the Wind: Scattering Ashes Ceremony

Ceremony for Scattering Ashes

Filed Under: ash scattering, Confessions, cremation, funeral service, Memorial Service Ideas Tagged With: biodegradable urn, biodegradable urns, cremation containers, how to scatter ashes, scattering of ashes, scattering urns, urn for ashes

Scattering Ashes At Sea: How to Avoid Blow Back

June 9, 2009 urngarden.com

For families that are planning to scatter ashes over the water, the natural choice is one of our shell urns, or the aqua sea burial urn. Families that think they can save a dollar by using the plastic temporary ash urn that they get at the funeral home are in for a surprise when the urn washes up on shore.

paddle out ceremony

We’ve covered the paddle-out ceremony, popular in California and Hawaii.

Lately,  we’ve seen a trend in North Carolina purchasing the shell urn for a sea burial. The nice thing about the shell urns are that they are over sized and can fit two sets of ashes or notes, flowers, and mementos.

When scattering over a body of water a water-soluble urn can enhance the experience. Our water urns are specifically designed to gradually disperse the ashes back to the sea. Ashes can be cast directly into the water, but will often blow back and cling to sides of the boat. This can be both frustrating and unsightly. Scattering ashes DOES NOT have to be this tricky.

shell cremation urn

A water-soluble urn will usually float for several minutes then slowly sink where it will degrade or melt back to the sea. Friends and family will often toss flowers, wreaths, or petals as a final tribute as the urn slowly drifts away.

floral wreath on the water

water soluble urns for ashes

ash scattering urns

Filed Under: Advertising, ash scattering, cremation, Featured Products, funeral service, Memorial Service Ideas Tagged With: biodegradable urn, burial at sea, ceremony for scattering ashes, Shell Urn, spreading ashes over water

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Urn Garden Cremation Urns for Ashes

Recent Posts

  • What the Catholic Church Says About Cremation, Burial, and Funeral
  • Is Amazon Really A Good Place to Buy a Cremation Urn for Ashes?
  • Types of Cremation Urns that Families Buy Pt. 2
  • Types of Urns That Families Buy for Cremation
  • Kiss My Ash Cremation Urn Collection-Some of Our Craziest Personalized Urns for Adults

Pages

  • About Us

Death in the Digital Age

  • Beyond Indigo Grief Forum
  • Find A Grave
  • Seven Ponds
  • Talking to Children About Death
  • The Daily Undertaker

Copyright © 2024 Urn Garden · Log in