Benefits of Cremation
Benefits of Cremation
It has always been an on-going debate: cremation vs. burial. The graph below depicts how the popularity in cremation has been on a steady rise in the United States over the past 50 years. In 2015, the cremation rate was higher than the burial rate for the first time. Also the forecast from the graph does not show the popularity in cremation slowing down. By 2035, it is predicted that more than 75% of Americans will choose cremation instead of burial.
So why do people feel like cremation is better? We have noticed 6 common benefits of cremation that have attributed to the above trend.
1) Cost
If you look at the general price list for almost every funeral home, you’ll find that cremation costs are less than burial. On average, the price of a cremation service is around 45-50% cheaper than a burial service. This is because there is no need to purchase additional items like a headstone or casket.
2) Environmental Concerns
Many people view cremation as a “greener option” than burial. Burial often uses harsh chemicals to embalm the remains for a funeral service. This leads to concerns that the chemicals can contaminate the environment. Burial also takes up land space and the Earth is disturbed to bury a casket. While a crematory does release emissions, new equipment is constantly being developed to reduce the pollution and environmental impact.
3) Simplicity
A cremation service can offer a much simpler process than a burial service. Generally, when people choose to bury their loved one, they choose to have a traditional funeral service along with the burial. In this case, you need to coordinate things with the cemetery, organize pallbearers, plan a visitation, and much more. While some people still choose to hold a traditional funeral along with a cremation, a celebration of life or memorial service are the types of ceremonies that are more associated and conducive to being paired with a cremation. These ceremonies do not require as much planning in the days immediately following the death when your family is still grieving and reacting to the news.
4) Cemetery Availability
Cemetery plots across the United States are becoming scarce. As the supply of plots decreases, we have seen the price on burial plots increase. Cremation allows you to avoid the trouble of finding a burial plot and saves you the cost.
5) Flexibility
With burial, you have two options – interred underground in a plot or having the casket placed in a mausoleum. Cremation gives you several more options in terms of what can be done with your loved one’s ashes. You can scatter the ashes at a special location, you can store them in a beautiful urn, you can keep a small portion in memorial jewelry, you can blast them as apart of fireworks, etc. There really are so many creative things you can do with cremated ashes. Ask one of our professionals to get more ideas on things you can do with your loved one’s ashes.
6) A More Relaxed Stance from Religions
In past years, many religions strongly opposed cremation. However, many religions have adjusted their view on cremation and have taken a more relaxed stance on it. For example, in 2016 the Vatican issued new guidelines on cremation. It touched on Catholics believing the soul is immortal and that it does not rely upon the physical body. Therefore, since cremation only impacts the physical body, the Vatican does not have any doctrinal objections to cremation. If you do choose cremation though, the ashes should not be scattered; they should be stored in a scared place (Bryner, 2016).
Sources:
Bryner, J. (2016). Vatican issues new cremation guidelines for ‘faithfully departed’. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/56632-vatican-issues-new-cremation-guidelines.html