By Hope Kumor
November 4 2015
Death is an uncomfortable topic for most people. When we hear of someone’s passing, we don’t always know what to say to grieving friends and family. We put off preparing for death because we don’t like the way thinking about our eventual demise makes us feel.
More than half of American adults say they don’t currently have a will, and among minorities, the numbers are even higher.
Disconnecting from death
Our desire to distance ourselves from the idea and reality of death could be behind the steady, rising trend of cremation. In 1913, there were 52 crematoriums in the U.S. Today, in 2015, there are more than 3,000!
Over the years, the number of cremations vs. burials has been climbing reliably, but for the first time in history, we actually cremate more people than we bury each year.
Why do we choose cremation? A recent study on cremation found that 31% of Americans say cremation feels “less emotional” than burial, 68% felt cremation was the most cost effective option, and 45% believed cremation was more environmentally friendly than burial.
Full article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hope-kumor/rather-be-cremated-than-b_b_8468624.html