Unearthing Intent: Exploring Mortuary Science Students’ Perceptions of Green Burial

Interest in and awareness of green burial—a disposition method that allows human remains to return to the earth with minimal environmental impact—is growing, yet little is known about how the funeral industry’s next generation of gatekeepers view the practice. This study explores mortuary science students’ perceptions of green burial and identifies the factors most influential in determining their attitudes. A cross-sectional survey of students in accredited mortuary science programs (n = 443) gathered data on demographics, personal meaningfulness of green burial, and views on its professional acceptance. Multivariate regression models assessed how various factors relate to students’ support for green burial and indicate that attitudes are influenced by underlying beliefs about the practice’s sustainability, personal death care plans, and prior exposure to green burial. This study suggests that as students enter the workforce, their support for green burial will set the funeral industry on a more sustainable trajectory.