Future funeral trends Elena M. Slominski's (2023) research examines both resistance and acceptance toward environmentally conscious funeral trends. A significant barrier to widespread adoption remains simple awareness. Many families and even funeral professionals lack education about alternative options, though this knowledge gap is gradually closing. Historically, families directly handled their deceased loved ones until the professionalization of funeral services made this practice increasingly uncommon and eventually taboo. However, those who participate in home funerals frequently report that initial discomfort transforms into healing experiences. Slominski attributes this shift to “slowing down, maintaining guardianship of the body, and participating in its care.” Despite common misconceptions that "green" options typically come with premium pricing (as seen with electric vehicles and solar technology), green funerals actually represent some of the most affordable choices available. According to Slomenski, “a simple green burial (especially when done as a home funeral) can cost a mere fraction of a ‘traditional’ burial, though some cemeteries charge a premium price for green burial plots to increase their revenue. Overall, eco-funerals are either cheaper than conventional funeral options or competitively priced, making them financially viable for consumers.” Accessibility, rather than affordability, presents the primary obstacle for families considering green funeral options. Newer methods like aquamation (alkaline hydrolysis or water cremation) and natural organic reduction (human composting) offer environmentally friendly alternatives but remain legally available in only select states. This limited availability sometimes leads families to transport Changing presentations and personalization for viewing The demand for cosmetic surgery to improve one’s appearance does not end with death. An NBC News documentary, “Final Touch: A Cosmetic Lift for Your Funeral,” interviewed a number of embalmers and restorative artists. The report found that many people consult funeral professionals to plan restorative procedures to enhance their appearance at their funeral. Some of the requests include smoothing lines, plumping lips, and even lifting sagging areas for their funeral (Mapes, 2008): “People used to say, just throw me in a pine box and bury me in the back yard,” says Mark Duffey, president and CEO of Everest Funeral, a national funeral planning and concierge service. “But that’s all changing. Now people want to be remembered. A funeral is their last major event and they want to look good for it. I’ve even had people say, ‘I want you to get rid of my wrinkles and make me look younger’” (Mapes, 2008). Restorative artists and embalmers have always tried to restore a lifelike appearance. The difference now is the number of people who are preplanning their final touches. This is a new phenomenon in the funeral profession. David Temrowski, funeral director of Temrowski and Sons Funeral Home in Warren, Michigan, observes that while clients often joke about cosmetic improvements for their appearance after death, these comments reflect a genuine increased awareness and concern about how they'll look during their funeral viewing (Mapes, 2008).
their deceased long distances to access preferred green methods, which can potentially undermine the environmental benefits. From an environmental impact perspective, Slominski's analysis ranks conservation burial at nature preserves as the most eco-friendly option, followed by standard green burial. Natural organic reduction offers net-positive environmental impacts despite requiring specialized equipment and energy. Aquamation significantly reduces carbon emissions compared to fire cremation but still consumes substantial water and energy resources. Overall, the positive benefits of green funerals outweigh their negative effects, especially as needs evolve and cultures gain awareness of practical trends concerning the environment and humanity’s interaction with it in life and death. Interra (2025) celebrated the state of Georgia’s legalization of natural organic reduction as the first state in the Southeast United States, a region where embalming still prevails as the primary method of disposition due to traditions and religion, to do so. This serves as a perfect example of how green funerals, whether they consist of natural organic reduction, alkaline hydrolysis, green burial, or even cremation, continue to increase in preference and availability as time passes. Ultimately, disposition decisions should honor the decedent's expressed wishes first, with family preferences becoming paramount when no prior directions exist. The commercially available options, particularly those limited by varying state regulations, represent only a fraction of the choices available to 21st-century families for their loved ones' final disposition. A 2014 ABC News report, “Dead People Get Life-Like Poses at Their Funerals,” noted that funeral plans are becoming more extravagant (Newcomb, 2014). The trend calls for individuals to be embalmed and presented for viewing in ways that are personalized and accurately celebrate their life. Rather than the traditional casket viewing and burial, some choose to have loved ones posed in ways that show their hobbies and personalities. ABC News told the story of an 83-year-old self-professed “party girl” who was embalmed to look as if she was sitting at a party with a glass of champagne. Her “set” included a bright feather boa, patterned outfit, decorative benches, and décor. Other stories include a man who was an avid boxer during life posing standing like a boxer in the ring, complete with a hood and boxing gloves; a jazz musician standing with instruments; and a young man dressed in leather and posing riding his motorcycle (Newcomb, 2014). One embalmer told ABC that in doing these types of “extreme embalming,” they used different mixtures of fluid so that the body would stay stiff in an upright position (Newcomb, 2014). This type of personalization in funeral presentations rejects the traditional way of displaying the body. Further investigation shows that these highly customized funeral presentations have been practiced for years in some sections of the country, but they are becoming more popular throughout the United States.
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