In today’s world, birth and death are very expensive affairs. According to Investopedia, it costs more than $ 18,500, when you have health insurance, to bring a child into this world.
Similarly, in most US states, it costs at least $1,000 to move, store, and officially process a body after it has died.
Hence, in recent years, more and more families have opted for cremations to navigate the costly burial proceedings. According to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), the number of cremations has almost doubled in the last decade and a half. This is in stark contrast to the staunch belief of many religions that do not consider cremation holy.
In this blog post, we will talk about the important factors that have caused this shift from the thousands-of-year-old burial tradition.
Flexibility and Personal Preferences
Traditional burials and funerals necessitate prompt action. Family members might not always have the time to grieve or arrange for the service. Cremation, on the other hand, is flexible. It lets families postpone services and allows for travel time for them to reach their deceased, loved ones. Moreover, it also relieves the pressure of honoring the deceased immediately.
One of the most interesting benefits of cremation is that it allows for the ashes to be carried for memorial services later on. They can be placed in an urn or columbarium and carried to different parts of the country. Also, it’s not uncommon for multiple family members to keep some of the ashes.
If you have lost a dear one or have someone on the deathbed, you might want to do something memorable for them. Memorial tattoos are becoming a trend. However, if you are not comfortable getting inked, you can have small pieces of jewelry to store some ash, and wear them around your neck or on your wrist.
You can also explore elegant metal urns for ashes that come in varying sizes, prints, and colors. Stainless steel and aluminum, with their modern beauty, and brass’s ageless charm—each material offers a unique approach to pay tribute to and cherish memories.
According to Legacy Urns, metal options are one of the most preferred owing to their longevity. Moreover, their look and feel make them beautiful works of art for any home or memorial garden.
Financial Advantages of Cremation
Around 60% of the US population lives paycheck to paycheck, as reported by PR Newswire. Living like this reflects financial instability and this section of the population will always prefer the cheapest option when met with an emergency, like death.
According to the Washington Post, average funeral and burial arrangements cost somewhere around $ 7,000 to $ 10,000. However, in the US, burial insurance is not as common as some forms of life insurance. As a result, many families are left scrambling for finances in the wake of deaths.
Death-related costs are indeed covered by either type of insurance, life or burial. However, burial policies offer fixed rates, lifelong coverage, and the possibility of an earlier payout than a standard life insurance policy.
For cremation, the cheapest and the most preferred process is where the deceased are brought to a cremation ground and their ashes are given to the families. It typically costs somewhere around $ 2000 to $ 3000. However, no extra ad–on services, like visitation, are allowed here.
For visitation and memorial services, you will have to shell out extra.
Environmental Concerns and Sustainability
Traditional burial customs frequently employ non-biodegradable metal caskets and concrete vaults. Moreover, in addition to huge plots of land used, burial often involves embalming chemicals. Most of these contain formaldehyde. This chemical is highly toxic to the environment and a proven carcinogen to humans.
In contrast, cremation has emerged as a more eco-friendly alternative. By reducing the need for burial plots, cremation helps to preserve green spaces and minimize land usage. Additionally, the carbon emissions associated with cremation are generally lower compared to those of traditional burials.
Moreover, the emergence of eco-friendly cremation alternatives has further enhanced the environmental sustainability of the process. Alkaline hydrolysis, commonly referred to as water cremation, is a cutting-edge technique.
It employs water and alkali to delicately disintegrate the body. This process yields a germ-free liquid that may be safely reintroduced into the water cycle.
In conclusion, the growing secular population of America is slowly tilting toward the more modern practice of burning their loved ones and keeping their ashes as memory. With the trend moving in the direction of ecological sustenance, it is just a matter of time before the idea takes speed.
More and more youngsters are breaking away from the core and orthodox traditions. Cremation allows them the freedom to celebrate a life in more personal ways.