I confess I like what the New Orleansians do. All the graves are above ground because the ground is too wet. Most are basically double-deckers. When one dies, one is put in a shroud and put on the top deck. The heat quickly (in a year) decomposes everything but the bones. When the next family member dies, the first one is put in the lower level, and the new body is put on the top one. Over time, the bones of the whole family gather on the lower level and blend together into the dust. I don't mean to be morbid, but there's something comforting about that thought.

Since I don't live in Louisiana, though, I've directed in my will that my executor try to arrange a "green" funeral for me. I don't want to pollute the earth more that I have already! Plus, I also like the idea of my body nourishing a tree or garden.