How Cremation Services Can Help the Environment

Cremation has become more and more popular in recent years, and one of the reasons for this is its environmental impact. When compared to traditional burial, cremation services near Evanston, IL, have a much lower impact on the environment. There are several reasons for this, and as our responsibility grows to maintain our planet’s health, we should take the time to consider these benefits.   

To begin with, traditional earth burial requires land. In fact, many cemeteries are becoming overcrowded as decades and centuries go by. This can become a serious issue in the years to come. While people do sometimes choose to bury their loved one’s ashes in a cemetery, they take up significantly less room. Many different family members’ remains can be buried in the same plot of land that would fit only a single casket. Many others choose not to bury their loved one’s ashes at all, but rather have them interred at a columbarium, store them in an urn in their home, or scatter them in a beloved location. In all these ways, the land usage from cremation services is much less than that of earth burial.   

Next, consider all the valuable resources that go into making caskets for burial. Hard woods, like maple, oak, and mahogany, are typically used. There are also usually some valuable metals used, such as bronze, steel, copper, and even silver and gold. These resources, when used on caskets, are buried in the earth to remain there for the foreseeable future. As a matter of fact, in some cemeteries, there is enough hard wood buried to build an entire neighborhood’s worth of houses. They take a long time to break back down into the soil, if they ever do at all. None of this extensive use of resources is necessary when it comes to cremation.   

Another thing to consider is the harmful chemicals that enter the earth due to traditional burial. The embalming process uses toxic substances like formaldehyde, which are allowed to enter the soil after burial. Additionally, many caskets have harmful chemicals that are used to treat the outer layer of wood, which can be toxic to the soil as well. With cremation, none of these substances will ever enter the ground, and the soil is not at risk of being polluted by harmful materials.   

All of this isn’t to say that cremation is perfect. During the cremation service process, greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are emitted. These are thought to contribute to climate change all over the world. However, when compared side by side with traditional burial, the ecological impacts are much less with cremation. 

If you or your loved one had a passion for protecting our earth, you would be wise to consider cremation services near Evanston, IL for your or their final disposition. You can prevent valuable resources from sitting under the earth for centuries to come, and you can keep harmful substances from entering the soil. Finally, you can feel at peace knowing that you did everything you could to help lower your own negative impact on the environment. Reach out to us for any concern including service pricing.