Decades ago, cremation was the odd exit strategy for
Americans heading to the Great Hereafter.
Today, it’s fairly common. By the end of 2015, it will be more common than not.
That’s the upshot of a new survey showing the cremation rate
rising above 48% later this year, overtaking the rate of burials by nearly 2
percentage points.
The result is a sea change in American funeral practices: For
the first time in this country’s history – nearly 140 years after the first
modern cremation on U.S. soil took place in a makeshift hearth outside of
Pittsburgh – more of us will be cremated than buried.
The American Way of Death? It's looking more like Cremation
Nation.
And, well into the future, if that survey is right. By 2020,
the cremation rate will reach 56%. Ten years later, we’ll see 70% of all
Americans heading into the hearth.
Even more may follow their lead. According to one industry
official I spoke with, the U.S. cremation rate is likely to track to that of European countries where cremation is firmly entrenched: Sweden (77%),
Denmark (77%), and the U.K. (73%). Some, like Switzerland (85%) and the Czech
Republic (80%), boast higher rates yet.
Given our somewhat similar demographics to those countries and
the growing acceptance of cremation in this one, the official saw no reason we
wouldn’t, literally, go the way of that part of Europe.
But I’m not so sure. And here’s why: the green burial
movement.
From hundreds of conversations I’ve had with families, I can
tell you that the vast majority who come to green burial are converts from
cremation. Cremation, they tell me, had been their default choice. It was more
environment-friendly than modern burial, plus cheaper and a whole lot more
convenient.
Then they learned about natural burial. They read about RamseyCreek Preserve, where the dead are buried sans embalming in a Southern pine
forest. Saw pictures of handsome caskets made from wicker, sea grass, plain
pine boards, and other readily biodegradable materials. Learned that it was
possible to hold home funerals, build their own coffins, and return one’s
remains to some beautiful natural environment -- to push up a tree, nourish a
meadow, and rejoin the natural cycle that turns to benefit all those we leave
behind. And all this without the environmental drag of cremation, with its high
energy costs and resulting emissions.
Those families promptly changed their plans.
My evidence is anecdotally, I know. But it’s in keeping with
a couple of early surveys showing that roughly a quarter (and more) of
respondents say they are interested in green burial. A percentage that will
only grow, I’m convinced, as word about green burial spreads and as the number
of green cemeteries, home funeral providers, eco-casket makers and the like
continues to increase.
As it does, the cremation rate will dip. At the very least,
it won’t climb anywhere near as high as industry prognosticators would have us
believe.
An early sign that a shift may already be underway comes from one of
those Euro-cremation nations itself, Sweden, where a couple of years ago the
popularity of earth burial rose for the first time in 70 years. The environmental
benefits of burial over cremation was a main driver.
Green burial. When I look to the future, I see it's where
we’re headed.
Mark Harris, author
Grave Matters, “The signature book of the green burial trend,” Bangor Daily News
Grave Matters, “The signature book of the green burial trend,” Bangor Daily News
