Making the Final Decision

Each year in the United States alone a large amount of natural resources are used in the final disposition of living things. Thousands of tons of steel, concrete, copper, bronze, and other precious metals; thousands of board-feet of rare hardwoods; and thousands of gallons of embalming fluids are put into the ground in the burial process. Although the disposition of living beings shares similarities with the disposition of other household waste, there are important differences. This research utilized qualitative methodology to discover what marketers must consider when encouraging consumers to make more sustainable decisions regarding the disposition of living beings. If marketers are to encourage more sustainable final disposition practices, they must consider the human emotional attachment to that product or being, the level of awareness of the options available for disposal, and the role that experts play in the disposition.