Americans are leaning more and more toward being environmentally conscious consumers. As a society we have become accustomed to: recycling, composting, conserving water, purchasing locally made goods and locally grown food, driving fuel efficient vehicles, and generally engaging in activities that reduce our personal carbon footprint and foster minimal impact on the environment. The green movement is a popular movement urging production and use of environmentally harmless consumer goods. It is intended to curb economic and population growth and protect the natural environment (free dictionary.com). Persons who participate in the green movement choose goods made from green materials, such as sustainably harvested wood, organic cotton, or …show more content…
A green funeral means that the planners exercised a heightened awareness of protecting the earth. Green funeral supporters break from tradition by using coffins that are either made of cardboard or wood, both heavily biodegradable materials. Still other green funeral proponents wonder why a casket is needed at all and will decide to go without one. Needless to say, for them a vault is out as well, as this only hinders the process of biodegrading, which is so central to a green funeral. Most “green cemeteries” in fact, or cemeteries that only allow green burials, will not even allow vaults. Green funeral advocates share a general resistance to the idea of embalming. For some, forgoing the embalming process is the main attraction, since embalming fluid contains formaldehyde, a respiratory irritant and known carcinogen. This eliminates the risk of a possible release of chemicals as the body begins to deteriorate. In green funerals, preservation of the body by embalming can be replaced with dry ice or refrigeration. Embalming does little to inhibit the body’s decomposition. We will become dust again. Choosing to have a funeral …show more content…
This helps us reduce the amount of energy consumed and waste produced in the planet, helping or even bettering the environment which as a collective generation we would leave to the youth and to the youth to come. Green funeral choices are expected to grow in popularity in the US as eco-consciousness grows and as more people become aware of available options. Consumer values are reflected in their attitudes and decision making about the products and services in the marketplace, including their approach to death and
Since each funeral home is for the majority independent, the “leader” is either the owner or the manager. The position is achieved th...
In the past four decades the cost of a funeral service has risen 1,328% (Boring) and that’s not just because Morticians wanted to out of pure greed. One must take into account that modern mortuaries are much more of a business than before. Prior to 1970, the majority of funeral homes were were independent, family run. Today about 14% of funeral homes are run by a publicly traded corporation (Boring) meaning there’s a plethora of capital involved in these businesses now. The homes are built better and by professionals rather than by individuals with some tools, the home’s are extremely more sanitary since there’s more than likely no one living in these funeral homes unlike before, and the quality of the products these services are providing is greater than before.
“In most human society's death is an extremely important cultural and social phenomenon, sometimes more important than birth” (Ohnuki-Tierney, Angrosino, & Daar et al. 1994). In the United States of America, when a body dies it is cherished, mourned over, and given respect by the ones that knew the person. It is sent to the morgue and from there the family decides how the body should be buried or cremated based on...
In Sandy Hingston’s “The death of the funeral business”, the story motivates people into moving into different sets of values or beliefs that weren’t acquainted in their previous ideas. I feel the understanding of change in culture is motivating the author. The time that she is living a time and era in which we as the people search for many ways to have freedom. This includes freedom of choice from the restraints of our own minds such as culture and beliefs we are so accustomed to. Hingston is seeing as a change on how we perceive our body because of the time and era it occurs in. One of the the biggest change in history is the since 1884 which introduced the use cremation. This later rose in popularity overtime in which it finally reached
Americans at the end of their lives no longer have this sense of continuity and stability. Rituals today are as likely to include tubes and noisy machines, artificial ventilators and unpleasant drug regimens bringing as many unpleasant side effects as health benefits. Many times the dying languishes in a hospital bed, surrounded not by the comforts of home and family but rather by sterility and bright lights, strangers and hushed voices. Death is no longer a mysterious part of a cherished tradition but a terrifying ordeal to be postponed as long as possible, an enemy that must be fought off at all costs.
Without advanced medicine, Americans were familiar with death, as the common cold could easily turn fatal. After the death of a loved one, the family members would give the body a bath and store it in the coldest room of the house to prevent immediate decomposing. The body would only stay in the house until people had time to visit and say their goodbyes. The smell was unpleasant, so flowers would be brought in. This initiated the tradition of having flowers at a funeral. After that, the body would be buried next to other deceased family members in a simple, wooden coffin. For those that could afford it, an undertaker was hired to take away the body and hold a formal funeral. The undertaker would store bodies on blocks of
When discussing any topic, from medicines to death, history is always relevant. Funeral service dates back to 1685, which involved providing mourning merchandise to the society. Many undertakers at this time in history were also furniture builders, building the coffins for burial, as well as other household furniture. It wasn’t until the 19th century that funeral directors were utilized often. Before this time, families took care of their deceased loved ones. Around the time of the civil war embalming was introduced and shed a new light on funeral service. Listed below is a brief summary of some important events in funeral service history.
In the essay “On the Fear of Death” Elisabeth Kubler-Ross focuses on dying and the effects it has on children as well as those who are dying, while in Jessica Mitford’s “Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain” focuses more on the after fact when the deceased is being prepared of their last appearance. Both authors, point out that the current attitude toward death is to simply cover it up. A successful funeral is when the deceased looks “Lyf Lyk” in Mitford’s Essay, but in Kubler-Ross’ it is dying at a peace with oneself, no IVs attached. Both authors feel that the current views of death is dehumanizing. Mitford points this out with the allusion that the funeral parlors are a theatrical play, while Kubler-Ross comments “I think there are many reasons
A funeral is an important event that should be planned with careful consideration, as each person only gets one to celebrate his or her life. People often die expectantly and suddenly leaving any funeral and burial arrangements in the hands of friends or relatives. These friends or family of the deceased may or may not have a good understanding of what the deceased would have preferred in his or her post death arrangements. A person planning his or her own funeral can prevent this guessing game and insure the arrangements are to their specifications.
Funerals are very important ceremonies in Hindu tradition. Hindus see cremation as an act of sacrifice to God and...
Most people dismiss anything having to do with death out of fear. The uncertainty some associate with death has caused Funeral Service to be a particularly taboo subject in society. One may assume funeral directors are the sketchy personalities enthralled with death, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Over the years, Funeral Service has progressed and become a larger industry. Funeral Service has changed in its history over time, affecting the education required, and the job they do today.
Death is something that no one wants to go through or have to deal with, especially concerning the loss of loved ones. Unfortunately, it is not possible to go through life without experiencing this loss. Throughout the past several decades, the way that we view death and the funeral industry has changed significantly. Recently, it has seemed much more apparent that funeral industries are using death as a means of getting rich. But why?
In the face of the universal fact of death, attitudes to the corpse are various and changeable. These attitudes are formed through the practices of treatment of the dead and are embodied in various ways (Parker Pearson 1999, p. 45).
“Going Green” means to pursue knowledge and practices that can lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyle. It is a movement that many participate in to help improve the environment. Technology improves the “Going Green” movement since machines can help one save money, energy, and resources from being wasted (i.e. using hand dryers in replacement of having paper towels exchange periodically). There are many ways the society pursues “Going Green” such as going paperless, carpooling, and using solar panels. “Going Green” affects human behavior because it involves technological advancement, sometimes resulting in job loss.
One fairly simple way that people can immediately contribute to the green movement is by recycling. “Recycling is the process of turning one products useful part or parts into a new product; this is done to conserve on the consumption of resources, energy and space used in landfills.” (Recycling Facts and Benefits) Most household paper, plastic, glass, aluminum, and cardboard products are recyclable. Many towns in the United States offer recycling services that will pick up your recyclables and transport them to a recycling facility. These facilities reuse the materials that the recyclables are made from and make new products. This process saves energy, and conserves resources by reducing the amount of renewable resources that would normally end up in a landfill or in an incinerator. These recycling plants “increase jobs in manufacturing while simultaneously increasing the Unite State’s competitiveness in industry.”(Recycling | Reduce, Reuse, Recycle | US EPA.)