Flame Cremation Isn’t Right for Every Family
The passing of a pet is never just the end of a life—it’s the end of a shared world. For families in the Fargo, Moorhead, and West Fargo area as well as throughout the Midwest, saying goodbye to a beloved companion is sacred. And yet, many are directed toward flame cremation without being offered a full picture of its emotional and environmental consequences.
Flame cremation has long been the standard, but that doesn’t make it ideal. The process requires extreme heat, often exceeding 1,400°F, and relies heavily on fossil fuels. Each cremation can emit as much CO₂ as a 500-mile car trip (Smith, 2020). That’s a steep environmental cost for a practice meant to honor life.
Emotionally, flame cremation can feel abrupt, clinical, and detached. The process often takes place off-site, in an industrial facility, with little opportunity for families to participate in or witness the journey. For those seeking meaning, ritual, and a chance to say goodbye, the experience can feel incomplete—especially when paired with concerns about the mixing of remains or lack of transparency in how pets are handled.
There is a better way.
At Eternal Tides, we offer aquamation, a gentle, water-based process that mirrors natural decomposition. It’s environmentally friendly—using 90% less energy than flame cremation—and produces no harmful emissions (Green Burial Council, 2021). More importantly, it allows families time and space to engage in personalized memorial experiences, which are proven to support emotional healing (American Psychological Association, 2020).
We’ve served grieving families across Cass and Clay counties who have said they never knew this option existed—but once they experienced it, they couldn’t imagine doing anything else. It’s not just about the method—it’s about how we care, and who we become in our grieving.
As you navigate one of life’s hardest goodbyes, know that you have options. Choose one that honors both your pet and the planet.
Sources:
American Psychological Association. (2020). The power of ritual in processing grief.
Green Burial Council. (2021). Environmental impact of cremation vs. aquamation.
Smith, E. (2020). Carbon emissions and cremation: Understanding the ecological footprint. Environmental End-of-Life Practices, 8(2), 73–77.
