Death to Unsustainability: Identifying Sustainability Hindrances in the Finnish Funeral Industry

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School of Arts, Design and Architecture | Bachelor's thesis
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Date

2023

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Major/Subject

Major of Design

Mcode

Degree programme

Bachelor's Programme in Design

Language

en

Pages

56 + 24

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Abstract

In the light of the ongoing climate crisis and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, cemeteries will have to transform towards greener burial practices. Both traditional coffin burial and cremation have been found to contribute to greenhouse gas, and other harmful emissions. In recent years these emissions have been addressed by multiple design and technology driven developments that build on natural burial principles. However, In the Finnish funerary services these emerging solutions are largely absent. Furthermore, the need for sustainable alternatives in the Finnish funerary services has been previously established through academic works by other designers. One possible reason for the lack of sustainability in the Finnish funerary services is the complexity of the services, and the complicated nature of sustainability issues. To overcome the complexities of the services and sustainability issues, this thesis adapted a system thinking mindset in the design research approach that further investigated the hindrances for sustainable developments in the Finnish funerary services. Systems thinking is a holistic approach that has often been used when analyzing the interaction of various parts in a system. The multidisciplinary approach of systems thinking is seen as an ideal tool in sustainability issues that stretch across different sectors of larger systems. Systems thinking is compatible with the second generation of design thinking, where the designer functions as the facilitator of knowledge. Subsequently, this thesis used qualitative research in the form of semi-structured interviews with experts from the Finnish funerary services. The interview data was analyzed through thematic analysis where Meadows’ places to intervene in a system was used as a framework in the identification and description of sustainability hindrances. The analysis of the gathered data revealed hindrances in nearly all areas described by Meadows. The least severe of the findings were the lack of resources and the general infrastructure of the services. Delays in the spreading of new ideas and changes to the law were also identified as obstacles for sustainability. The establishment of new cemetery areas was found to support new sustainable developments. Therefore, the lack of establishment of new areas, in parts due to increase of cremations, was categorized as an impediment. In addition, cremation was found to be a self reinforcing phenomenon, which further suppresses the development of other more sustainable practices. The workers' access to, and the bereaved time of receiving, certain information was also found to hinder sustainable practices. Secularized societies’ lack of representation was also found to suppress the emergence of sustainable alternatives. Various aspects of the funerary law and the churches’ indirect power over them was also discussed as limiting for developments. The law against financial gains in the services was found to limit self organization and the emergence of new alternatives within the industry. The goal of the system was suggested to be burial at lowest cost, which hinders some sustainable alternatives. Finally, the established paradigms within which the service users and workers operate under was found to restrain the emergence of new traditions.

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Supervisor

Chun, Namkyu

Thesis advisor

Veselova, Emilija

Keywords

sustainability hindrances, funerary services, sustainable cemetery, green burial, burial practices, green death, systems thinking

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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202310156308

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[kand] Taiteiden ja suunnittelun korkeakoulu / ARTS (Open access)