Benefits of Cremation
Cremation rates in the United States has been steadily on the rise for the past 30 years. The year of 2015 marked the first time the cremation rate nationwide was higher than the burial rate.
So, why cremation? While, everyone has their own personal reasons for choosing cremation, 5 key benefits of cremation are described below:
Cost
On average, cremation is generally 45-50% cheaper than burial. Cremation does not require the purchase of items like a headstone and a casket.
Environmental Concerns
Cremation is considered to be more environmentally friendly than burial because embalming is not required. Secondly, burial plots take up land space and disturbs the Earth to inter a casket. Crematories do release carbon emissions into the air, but new technology is really starting to reduce the amount and impact.
Simplicity
A traditional funeral involves many more components such as a wake, gathering pallbearers, organizing a mass with a church, coordinating the burial with the cemetery, and much more. In contrast, a direct cremation does not require any of those components. A Memorial service and celebrations of life can be much simpler if you choose them to be. Since these ceremonies are based on what you want and are less about common rituals, you can choose just how complicated and sophisticated the ceremonies are.
Cemetery Availability
Plots at cemeteries are becoming more and more scarce. The cemetery you wish to be buried in may not have plots available when you pass. Also, the cost of burial plots is on the rise. A plot is not required for cremation, unless the family so chooses.
Flexibility
With burial, you are either interred underground in a plot or above ground in a mausoleum. With cremation, you have numerous options in terms of what you can do with your loved one’s cremains. Some of the numerous options include scattering your loved one’s cremains, placing them in an urn, holding a small portion in memorial jewelry, or memorializing your loved one in art glass.
