Page A26 JULY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A On-Line AssOciAte Degree in FunerAL service 1616 Church Street | Nashville, TN 37203 615-327-3927 | www.guptoncollege.edu For information concerning cost and program call 615-327-3927, go to our website at guptoncollege.edu or email admissions@guptoncollege.edu. If you are interested in becoming a licensed funeral professional, John A. Gupton College can help you get there. The Associate Degree in Funeral Service is an accredited program. Our online program is flexible, career-focused and may be completed in 12 or 16 months. Financial Aid is available. www.ocularmelanoma.org Please Help us Support the Research and Treatment of Ocular Melanoma www.ampli.com 1-800-267-5486 In Memory of Nancy Roth, wife of Don Roth, CEO of AmpliVox. Nancy recently lost her battle with ocular melanoma. Please help fight this disease with a generous contribution to: www.etrf.org Thank You for your support. caskets, pesticides and grave markers. Many traditional cemeteries now have ‘green’ sections which might require eco-friendly burial vessels or even no casket at all. At the other end of the green spectrum are entirely new funeral options, such as soil transformation and alkaline hydrolysis. These options represent a level of innovation that has been more typical of other industries in the 21st century, resulting in unique technologies that seek to eliminate damaging environmental sideeffects and, in the case of soil transformation, actively benefit the natural world. Soil transformation, also referred to as natural organic reduction, is a gentle, carbon-neutral process that mimics the conditions of the natural world to gently transform a body into nutrient-rich soil over a 45-day period. The process uses natural materials like organic mulch, wood chips and wildflowers, and can be powered entirely by renewable energy sources. Some of the soil is returned to the family to use as they wish, and the remainder can be used to restore and conserve land through reforestation, wildfire and soil restoration, and revitalization of challenged ecosystems. This is, therefore, a process that not only meets a general demand for options that are sustainable, but it also offers a return to nature that makes it conceptually appealing to many. Consumer Preference is Changing and We Need to Listen By Tom Harries The deathcare industry has often been slower than other industries to adapt to changing consumer preferences, particularly when it comes to sustainability. While other sectors have harnessed new technologies to meet changing beliefs, values and understandings, and in turn clean up their environmental impact, the funeral sector has been slower off the mark. With the increasing awareness of the severity of climate issues we face as a planet, as well as more people willing to part from funeral rituals and traditions, change has started to occur in the industry. A growing number of companies across the United States are pioneering new processes or adapting existing funeral practices to address environmental concerns. This change meets a growing demand for environmentally-friendly choices, both generally in daily life and more specifically in the options available at the end of life. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, more than 60 percent of consumers are “interested in exploring ‘green’ funeral options because of their potential environmental benefits (and) cost savings” - an increase from 55 percent in 2021. Industry players looking to address this demand range from those who are departing from traditional funeral processes entirely, to those simply rethinking individual elements of their existing practices, like changing the materials they use in caskets, for example. Sustainable funerals have become more than a niche. They are now a logical and necessary response to changing times. Deathcare’s Environment Issue Traditional funeral practices no longer meet the environmental expectations of many consumers and fall far below the standards required in the face of growing climate problems. Burial and cremation make up the overwhelming majority of funerals in the United States. While greener variants of burial exist, traditional burial is damaging to our soil and uses urban land at an unsustainable rate. According to the Green Burial Council, American cemeteries bury 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid, 1.6 million tons of concrete and 64,500 tons of steel every year. Although cremation is often viewed as an environmentally-friendlier option, it involves a level of carbon emissions that would now look amiss in many other industries. The average cremation produces 535 pounds of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to a Alkaline hydrolysis, also called aquamation, works with a gentle flow of water combined with temperature and alkalinity to break down organic materials. It uses almost 90 percent less energy than traditional cremation and produces no greenhouse gas emissions. Meeting Affordability and Availability Expectations In many industries, products and services that are better for the environment are often more expensive. This is not necessarily the case with funerals, with sustainable options costing not much more than the average cremation. Traditional burial, on the other hand, averages somewhere around the $7,000 mark, with the most expensive options topping $20,000. The funeral industry is therefore not only starting to meet demand for sustainable options, but it is managing to do so at affordable price points. While reasonable costs keep green options open to many, legislation in a number of states can restrict the options that are available. For example, soil transformation is currently legal in Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Vermont, but not yet provided for by the legislation of other states. States including California, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Massachusetts and Delaware, are currently considering laws to allow the process. Growing demand means green funeral options are expected to become much more widely available over the next few years, both in terms of the legislative landscape and the number of providers. As climate issues threaten and consumer expectations change accordingly, this can only be a good thing. Tom Harries is co-founder and CEO of Auburn, WA based Earth, the sustainable funeral brand that specializes in soil transformation. S o i l T r an s f o rma t i on V e s s e l 609-mile car journey. Green Solutions On one end of the green spectrum, an environmentally-friendly funeral option can look much like traditional options, but with small adaptations made to existing practices. Customs such as embalming and grave marking pollute the ground, negatively impacting the environment. End-of-life planners can avoid these problems by forgoing embalming or using a method that does not involve formaldehyde. They may also consider simpler markings. Further along the spectrum are options like natural or green burials, which avoid traditional burial elements like wood or metal Funeral Director Barbie Also, a funeral director Barbie would be a good gift for men in the industry to give to their daughters to help explain what it is they do. And Sarah says, “it would be a win for Mattel for people that like dark or goth things. That’s a piece that’s missing.” Lastly, a funeral director Barbie would help families and counselors explain funerals and death to young children. “It would be a good resource and reinforce the caring role our industry professionals play,” says Sarah. Sarah has envisioned what a funeral director Barbie would look like, saying that she would be very formal. She could have accessories that include a black hat and gloves as well as a few single flowers. She also considered a casket key as an accessory, “but then they would have to make a casket,” Sarah says. But she thinks Mattel should go for it, as long as it’s not dark. Kids already play death, so a casket wouldn’t be out of place. It would just be giving them a forum to expand their play. Death, after all, is a part of life. For more information and to sign the petition, go to: https://www.change.org/p/matteltell-mattel-to-create-a-funeral-director-barbie. Continued from Page A18 Send Us Your News! We welcome news of the industry. info@NomisPublications.com FAx 1-800-321-9040 PO Box 5159, Youngstown, OH 44514 CALL 1-800-321-7479 Send us information on your School, Firm, or Association today! FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS
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