For those of us following the new-fangled world of funeral offerings these days, the latest wonderment — human composting — is set to be legalized in Washington State, pending the governor’s signature.
Simply put, it’s the “natural organic reduction” of a deceased person, aka human remains, dead body, mortal coil, or plain old “corpse.” It’s the same principle as the composting of the veggie scraps in your sink.
It is safe, non-malodorous, and altogether outstanding news for the most environmentally-conscious (and perhaps unsentimental and practical) among us. The end result — taking only about a month — is a cubic yard’s worth of nutrient-rich composting “soil,” if you don’t think about it much harder than that.
Quoting the website: “At the end of our process, all that remains is soft, beautiful soil.”
Read all about it at Recompose, the official site of the organization and its founder, Katrina Spade, since as of this date there are no other companies doing this. I have to wonder if in a century this will be a highly competitive business. Is there any doubt the world is moving this way? Yahoo! Progress.
Like every novel or alternative option out there, it’s not for everyone! And that’s okay. It only has to be for the people who long for it, of which I think there are many. And just for the record, to be clear — this option in no way precludes a funeral, memorial or any manner of life celebration or service. In fact, part of Katrina’s vision is the ritualistic aspect of how the system works.
I Want a Fun Funeral, as always, is based on any and all new and personal ways of saying goodbye, and this one feels a little momentous!