If you are looking for a green way to celebrate the life of a loved one or prepare for your own passing in an environmentally friendly way, cremation services in Clarksville, TN might be the answer. Make an informed decision on how best to make your cremation environmentally conscious.

A posthumous, non-traditional way to help the environment is through cremation. A lot of people never even think about burials’ environmental impact, but a few small changes to funerals and services can go a long way. Cremation has a lot of positive sides over traditional burials.

One of the main ones is environmental impact. Traditional, full-service burials have considerable negative impact on the environment. One big example is loss of habitat. A recent statistic from the Centre for National Burial states that 10 acres of cemetery holds almost 20,000 tons of vault concrete, 1000 tons of casket steal, and enough wood to build over 40 full-sized homes. All that material leaves little room for animal and plant life. Not to mention loss of land that could otherwise be used to grow food or build homes.

On the whole, thanks to modern advances, cremation is a greener choice. However, there are some downsides to cremation in terms of the environment. Standard crematoriums burn a lot of natural gas, and therefore release lots of greenhouse gases and chemical vapors that can harm the atmosphere. Also, to fully dehydrate a human body to bone and ash, a crematorium has to be fully heated to at least 1400 degrees Fahrenheit and maintain the heat for a minimum of 45 minutes. This process releases a lot of carbon dioxide and uses up a lot of fossil fuel. But, new technology and more fuel-efficient crematorium centers have greatly reduced these negative impacts.

There are ways you personally can make cremation even greener. Some of these include:

1. Recycle medical materials. Remove and recycle medical devices and parts, like pacemakers, before cremation. Burning said parts can release harmful gases and produce non-biodegradable ash.
2. Consider a biodegradable urn. Many people chose to bury their loved one’s ashes after cremation. While urns and ashes take up less space than a full-size grave, urns slow down the decay process and may negatively impact the surrounding earth. Choose a biodegradable urn to better protect the local ground.
3. Choose the casket carefully. Cremation providers generally require bodies to be in a rigid, consumable, and leak-proof casket for the cremation process. Burning these caskets can give off noxious gases and fumes, if you chose a bad one. When picking out your cremation casket, look for one made of non-toxic and renewable material. Wicker and cardboard are great options.

Be careful to remain aware of your options when it comes to Clarksville, TN cremation services so you can feel good about your choice in terms of the environment and celebrating your loved one. If you want more information, you can visit or call Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory.

You cared deeply for your lost military service member, and obviously want to memorialize him or her in a respectful but special way that is just as unique as he or she was and that honors his or her service. If you choose cremation services in Clarksville, TN for the deceased, then memorial jewelry might be what you’ve been looking for.

What is memorial jewelry? Memorial jewelry can come in many forms, from necklaces and rings to lockets, pendants and bracelets, but every form is a special reminder of the deceased. Most memorial jewelry is made through a similar process. Once a body is cremated, the family sends the remains to a jeweler. The remains, consisting of minerals like calcium phosphates, are combined with molten glass gold, silver, platinum or other materials using special encasement methods to mold the remains and the metals together. The goal is this molding is to display and protect the cremated remains.

If you’re considering memorial jewelry for your lost military service member, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

1. The Deceased – Keep in mind how the deceased would want to be memorialized. Think about his or her styles, preferences, and even interests for inspiration. How do you think you could best memorialize your lost loved one? How can you honor his or her service?
2. Material – Though you can have memorial jewelry in almost any material, you should think about how and how often you’re going to wear it, as some materials are more durable than others. For example, if you’re making a ring that you’re only going to wear on special occasions, resin is fine. However, if you want to wear the ring on a daily basis, you need a stronger material like silver.
3. Style – You should choose memorial jewelry in a style that you will actually wear. If you don’t like big pendants, maybe choose a small bracelet or locket. Be sure that you choose a style that fits your comfort level or consider a piece that is simple and timeless for the coming generations.

Since every person’s chemical makeup is slightly different, every piece of memorial jewelry will have a slightly different chemical reaction, resulting in different colors, shapes, and patterns. In other words, every piece of memorial jewelry will be just as unique as the person it’s made from. Families can also choose to include items like hair or dried flowers in the jewelry piece for even more uniqueness.

Memorial jewelry is just one of the many options you have to memorialize a lost loved one after a cremation. If memorial jewelry isn’t for you, you can always choose a more traditional method like a displaying the remains in a cremation urn, scattering them, burying them, or putting up a headstone.

Do you have more questions about memorial jewelry, military funeral services, or about Clarksville, TN cremation services in general? Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help. We have years of industry experience to put at your disposal and are ready to do whatever we can for you in your time of loss. Please give us a call for more information.

As cremation services in Clarksville, TN rise in popularity they are starting to show some trends. This is especially true for military funeral and cremation services.

If you are planning a memorial or funeral for a lost loved one that serviced in the military, here are the top cremation trends for 2020 that can help inspire you.

1. Water Cremations – As more and more states are making water cremations legal; they are quickly becoming very popular. Unlike traditional, flame-based cremations, water cremations are much better for the environment. They also simulate standard body decay processes for a more “natural” disposition. Not to mention that the cremated remains from a water cremation are much lighter and less likely to be mixed with harmful pollutants than those from a standard cremation as the remains were not burned at extreme temperatures or exposed to chemicals and gases.
2. Scattering Parties – Scattering parties are the answer to what to do with the deceased cremated remains. Rather than a private ceremony, the new trend is to have a scattering party or event tied to releasing the ashes. As people are starting to leave detailed cremation instructions and release requests, it’s even easier to plan an event that matches your lost loved one’s interests and spirit. Scattering events have taken a life of their own, from sails and hikes to everything in between. They are a wonderful way to celebrate the lost loved one in a unique way as you put them to rest.
3. Painted Ash Art – You can also use cremated remains in paint for art pieces. Remains are mixed with special paint that can then be used to produce a portrait of the deceased, or another special image. Cremated ashes have also been used in sculpting materials to create unique vases and home items that can be given to family members of the deceased. It’s important to note, though, that you have to find a qualified and experienced artist that is comfortable with working with cremated ashes and knows how to treat this material with respect. These cremation art pieces are always unique and can be treasured for generations to come.
4. Cremation Jewels – Everyone knows you can turn your loved one’s ashes into jewelry, but not everyone knows you can turn them into actual jewels. Thanks to major technological advancements, you can quickly turn your loved one into a precious stone for a pretty fair price. You can send the deceased’s ashes to have them be pressed into a diamond that can then be set into jewelry or turned into a priceless family heirloom. Every diamond made from cremated remains is just as unique and precious as the person it came from.

These are just a few of the many ways that you can make a memorable and honorable service for your lost military member.

If you’re interested in any of these military cremation trends or want to learn more about Clarksville, TN cremation services, Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help. Call or visit us today for more information.

You aren’t limited to displaying or housing the remains of your lost veteran in an indoor urn after cremation services in Clarksville, TN. In fact, there are hundreds of options when it comes to veteran body disposition post cremation. From scattering and water burials, to inurnment in a columbarium and more, you can get as creative as you want for your loved one’s post-cremation final resting place.

One option is burial, inurnment or display outdoors. You can easily house your lost veteran’s cremated remains in an urn above or below ground outside and still honor his or her service to our country.

If you decide to go this route, however, you do need to choose an urn that specifically made for outdoor use. These outdoor urns are designed to remain intact and even beautiful even after long years of outdoor exposure to dirt, dust, rain, snow and more. When shopping for an outdoor urn, you first need to decide if the urn will stay above ground, or be buried below ground, as there are both above and below ground urns.

• Above Ground Outdoor Urns – Many cemeteries have a columbarium. Columbarium are spaces, rooms or buildings designed to hold and display cremation urns. They have numerous individual niches carved into the walls for this purpose. If you’re planning on inurning your loved one’s cremated remains outdoors but above ground, it will most likely be in a columbarium. When choosing an above ground outdoor urn, a metal urn is best. Bronze, brass, pewter, and stainless steel are great choices, although almost any urn designed for human remains will most likely work. However, it’s important to keep in mind that unless the outer wall of the columbarium is made of glass, you probably won’t be able see the urn once it’s been placed. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about decoration too much. You can choose ceramic or glass, but these urns are not ideal for outdoor use as they are more vulnerable to cracking.
• Below Ground Outdoor Urns – You can also choose to bury your loved one’s cremated remains. Like traditional full body burial, burying cremated remains allows you to have a defined place where family and friends can go to remember the lost loved one. In some cases, many families already own a burial plot, and want to use this land even if the deceased is cremated. Most cemeteries require an urn vault when burying cremated remains. The vault is typically sealed to keep out moisture and other elements of nature. Since the vault will bear the brunt of the natural exposure, any kind of urn will do. If you don’t have to have an urn vault, you need to choose an urn that is durable. Strong urns from metal, composites or resins are ideal. A cremation urn made from wood, ceramic, or glass would most likely to lose its integrity over time, leaving the deceased’s remains exposed.

These are just a few of the ways you can put a veteran’s remains to rest after a cremation service. If you want to learn more about outdoor cremation urns and Clarksville, TN cremation services, just get in touch with Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory.

Many funeral homes in Clarksville, TN offer cremations as well as funeral services. Cremations have been popular for a very long time but have been even more so in recent years for many reasons including price, ease, flexibility, and environmental benefits. However, there is a new kind of cremation on the market that may offer all those benefits and more: water cremation.

Water cremation, or alkaline hydrolysis, puts an interesting and unique spin on traditional cremation procedures, and might even be better for the environment as it simulates a more natural tissue and bone decay process than traditional flame-based methods. Water cremations do not involve any burning, so no harmful gases or pollutants are released into the air. Rather, during a water cremation, the body is placed in a steel chamber. The chamber is then filled with an alkaline solution made up of 95% water and 5% potassium hydroxide and raised to a very high pressure to prevent boiling. The chamber, and the body in the solution, is then heated to around 350 degrees Fahrenheit for an extended period of time, from 4 to 16 hours.

The heat, pressure and solution work together to break down the body, leaving only the bones. At the beginning of the process, the mixture is strongly basic, with a pH level of approximately 14. However, by the end of the process, the pH can drop 11. The body slowly dissolves, and the bones, once removed from the chamber, crushed into ash and returned to the family just like in a traditional cremation. However, water cremated remains are much lighter in color and in texture than classic cremated remains. Cremated remains made from flames are often darker and denser from the various combustion reactions that occur when the body is heated under extreme temperatures.

While water cremation may seem strange, it’s actually just a more sped up version of what would happen when a body decays naturally. Interestingly, the process was originally developed as a way to process animal carcasses into plant food back in 1888. In 2007, a biochemist from Scotland founded a company to make the machines necessary to use the method to process human remains. 2007 wasn’t that long ago, so water cremations are still pretty new. The method is so new, in fact, that it’s currently only legal as a means of final disposition in 16 states, including Oregon, Illinois, Colorado, Nevada, California, and more. Laws on water cremation are currently pending in states like New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Would you consider a water cremation for yourself or for a lost loved one? Whether or not you would, you can still turn to Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory for your cremation and funeral service needs.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is a Clarksville, TN funeral home that offers a wide range of experienced and compassionate funeral and cremation services. Please give us call today to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss and grief.

If you choose to go with cremation service in Clarksville, TN, you have even more choices coming your way as there are quite a few options when it comes to cremated remains.

The most common and traditional way to inter cremated remains is by scattering. The options for scattering are almost limitless, but there are some widespread choices such as casting. Casting ashes simply means tossing the cremated remains on the wind, usually in a special location. Be sure to check the wind direction to avoid uncomfortable moments. There is also raking. Raking ashes happens when a family member or loved one by pours the ashes over loose soil and rakes them to combine the two. Local ordinances and laws generally prevent raking at any old spot, so make sure to check with the authorities before raking in a public garden or park.

You can also scatter ashes into any body of water, again with permission from the local authorities. Another version of water scattering is to sink a water-soluble urn into the lake, river or ocean. Last but not least is ringing. Ringing involves more of a ceremony than other post-cremation choices. It involves forming a ring around an object like a house, tree or other special thing with the ashes, almost to compound the idea that the deceased is always with you and protecting you.

Just because you chose a cremation service doesn’t mean you can’t also have a burial. In fact, many people have both as you can easily bury or entomb cremated remains. This option helps you stay more on track with traditional burials and funerals while also using cremation services. There are a few options for burial or entombment after cremation including:

• Family Plot: The most traditional burial for cremation remains is in the family plot or cemetery. Burial in the family plot is an easy way to use cremation services while still enjoying classic burial and funeral traditions.
• Columbarium: Columbarium are spaces specifically dedicated to housing and interring cremated remains Most often found in churches, there are also a few freestanding columbarium options as well as those attached to cemeteries.
• Crypt or Mausoleum: Go more religious or familial with a crypt or mausoleum. These options are usually preferred by Roman Catholics but can get pretty expensive.
• Memorial Object: A non-traditional burial method for cremated remains is in a special memorial object like a bench, grave marker, rock or even in a tree. This method and special objects help loved ones memorialize and celebrate their lost in more personalized ways.

Whether you’re planning for your eventual passing or dealing with the recent death of a loved one, body disposition is a big choice. Get in touch with Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory to learn more about your options for after cremation service. No matter what you choose, we are here to help you with all your Clarksville, TN cremation needs. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call today.