The Top 8 Reasons Why Cremation is Chosen Over Burial in 2022

Increasingly, more Australians are choosing to be cremated. In 2020, 65 percent of people chose to be cremated. So why is this method becoming so popular and will it be the right choice for you? Here are some of the elements that explain the rise in the number of people requesting to be cremated.

1. Cost

Cremation is a cost-effective funeral option. Depending on the type of ceremony you choose, cremation can be more cost-effective than a burial would. When pre-planning their funerals, people are conscious of the costs involved. They don’t want to pass on a financial burden to their families.

2. Environmentally Friendly

Burial has a high environmental cost. The gravesite will need to be maintained, releasing emissions. Furthermore, embalming fluid can damage the surrounding environment, including waterways.

On the other hand, cremation won’t produce any ongoing emissions. Planting a memorial tree will allow you to offset cremation emissions while commemorating the life of your loved one.

3. Change in Societal Attitude

Over time the societal and religious attitudes towards cremation have changed. This is especially apparent in younger generations. Increasingly, they want the funeral to celebrate the life of their loved ones. As we’ll discuss, cremation creates more flexibility for families, allowing them to create the perfect farewell.

4. Simplicity

Cremation will take the complications out of planning a funeral. For example, you won’t need to choose a gravesite or organize a headstone. This will allow you to spend more time with your family during this difficult time.

5. All Family Members Can Attend

Due to the nature of a burial, the ceremony needs to occur shortly after your loved one passes away. Typically, you’ll need to have the funeral within ten days, to help manage the decomposition of the body.

Not all family members will be able to attend the funeral within such a short time frame. Thankfully, funeral homes can organize the ceremony to be live-streamed. But this won’t provide the same experience as attending in person and being able to hold hands with your family members. Ashes, though, can last for years, giving you plenty of time to arrange the right time and place for the ceremony.

6. Remaining Close to Your Loved Ones

Following a burial, you will need to visit the gravesite to be close to your loved ones. This can make it difficult to move house.

On the other hand, you’ll be able to take the urn with you when you move. Sometimes, urns can be passed down through the generations, keeping the memories of your loved one alive.

7. Creating Jewellery

Some people opt to turn a small portion of the ashes into jewellery, creating necklaces or rings. This will allow you to carry the memory of your loved ones with you at all times.

8. Flexibility

There are multiple ways that you can use ashes, depending on what your loved one would have wanted. For example, you can sprinkle the ashes in a special location. Another option is to inter them in a cemetery. Alternatively, you can choose a biodegradable urn. This can be placed under a memorial tree.

Conclusion

Increasingly, people in Australia are choosing to be cremated rather than buried. There are several reasons for this, from the lower cost to the flexibility to give your loved ones the farewell they wanted. Because of these benefits, the trend is likely to grow stronger.