Benefits of Cremation

Benefits of Cremation

It has always been an on-going debate: cremation vs. burial. In 2015, the USA cremation rate surpassed the burial rate for the first time. By 2035, it is forecasted that more than 75% of Americans will choose cremation over 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.
why cremation is better

Why Choose Cremation?

How do I know if cremation is right for me or my loved one? What are some things to think about when deciding between cremation vs. burial? All the factors to consider are deeply personal and significant: your religious beliefs, your level of environmental consciousness, financial considerations, and the expectations of your immediate family and your wider social group. 

As you read about cremation, keep these questions in mind:
  1. What is your gut feel on cremation and burial? Based purely on emotions, which option do you feel more comfortable with? 
  2. Are you highly concerned with saving money? Are you willing to reduce your loved one’s tribute if it means saving you some money?
  3. What is your religion’s stance on cremation? Will your religious/spiritual beliefs have a strong influence on your decision to cremate or not? 
  4. Are you an environmentalist? Are you concerned with leaving as small an environmental footprint as possible with your end-of-life choice? 
  5.  How do you think your family and friends will react to your decision? What are their end-of-life plans? 
So why are more people choosing cremation? At our funeral homes we have noticed 6 popular reasons for why people are choosing cremation. 

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.

The "Greener" Option

By many, cremation is considered to be more environmentally friendly than burial. Burial often uses harsh chemicals to embalm the remains for a funeral service. This has led many people to believe that these chemicals can seep into the ground where it contaminates the soil and water. Burying a casket also takes up land space and disturbs the Earth. While a crematory does release emissions, new equipment is constantly being developed to reduce the pollution and environmental impact.

It is Cheaper

Generally cremation is much cheaper than burial. On average, the cost of a cremation service is 45-50% less than burial. The cost disparity is largely due to the fact that you do not need to buy a burial vault or casket with cremation. 
cremation costs

Flexibility

With burial, you only have two options – buried in the ground in a plot or placing the casket 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 outdoors, you can store them in a beautiful urn, you can put a small portion in memorial jewelry, you can blast them off 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.

Less Opposition from Religions

Historically, many religions were strongly opposed to cremation. However, in recent years many religions have relaxed their opposition to cremation and in turn more families have felt comfortable choosing 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). 

Availability at Cemeteries

There are fewer and fewer cemetery plots in the United States. As the supply of plots declines, the price of plots goes up. Cremation allows you to avoid the trouble of finding a burial plot and saves you the cost.   

Cremation Myths

Even though cremations have surpassed burials in terms of popularity, there is still a lot of taboo and mystery surrounding the practice. Some of the more popular myths of cremation include that the practice is forbidden by most religions or that you could end up with someone else’s ashes afterwards. Rest assured, most of the negative things you’ve heard about cremation are simply untrue. At our firm, we want to dispel some of the more popular cremation myths so that families can make informed decisions.


Below are 6 myths of cremation you shouldn’t believe.

Most Religions Forbid Cremation

Something we often hear from families when making funeral arrangements is that their religion forbids cremation. Depending on your religion, this may or may not be true. For instance, in religions like Judaism and Islam, cremation is not practiced. Over time, certain churches have changed their stance on the issue. The Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Church for example allow cremation but still prefer burial. If you’re unsure about your faith’s view on cremation, talk about it with your religious leader for further clarity.

Cremation Involves Lighting the Body on Fire

One of the most misguided cremation myths is that the body is set on fire. The cremation process uses flames to create extreme heat in a specially designed furnace. During the cremation process, the furnace (also called a retort) reaches temperatures around 1800° F. The heat in the furnace reduces the body to gases and bone fragments, which are then placed in an electric processor which converts them to the ashes. At no point is the body set on fire.

You Might Get Someone Else’s Ashes

A popular cremation myth that many people fear is that they might get someone else’s ashes returned to them. The ICCFA has written guidelines which include: 

“The crematory authority should not simultaneously cremate more than one human remains in the same cremation chamber unless it has written authorization to do so by the authorizing agent of each human remains to be cremated.”  

The vast majority of funeral homes are members of associations like the ICCFA or NFDA and strictly follow the guidelines set out by these associations. During the cremation process, the remains are marked beforehand, and the family is also required to identify the remains before the cremation can begin. You can rest assure that only your loved one’s cremated remains will be returned to you.


Cremation Results in Ashes

Although the term ‘ashes’ is often used to describe cremated remains, what is left after cremation is not ashes. The remains themselves resemble coarse sand, with an off-white/ gray color. The cremated remains that are returned to your family are actually bone fragments that have been processed down to resemble ashes. The cremation process does not actually burn the body and reduce it to ashes like a fire when it burns wood.

You Can’t Have a Traditional Funeral If You Choose Cremation

Just because you’ve selected cremation, doesn’t mean you can’t plan a traditional funeral. Many families choose to have the remains cremated and then hold a funeral or memorial service afterwards with the urn present. Another popular choice is to hold a traditional funeral before the cremation. Once the cremated remains have been returned to you, they can be buried or scattered at most cemeteries.

Scattering Ashes Is an Illegal Practice

Some families will choose to forego cremation because they believe that spreading ashes is illegal. While there are certain public spaces where it’s illegal to spread ashes, there are also many public and private areas where it is permitted. If you’re interested in scattering your loved one’s ashes, make sure to consult with your local government and agencies about any restrictions or requirements. Likewise, if you plan to scatter ashes on private land, make sure that you receive written permission from the landowner beforehand.

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 
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