As society becomes increasingly eco-conscious, people are looking for more environment-friendly ways to reduce their carbon footprints and give back to the planet. With checks already across multiple boxes, including less plastic waste, increased energy efficiency, and decreased expenditure of fossil fuels, many individuals are asking, “what more can I do.” One radical but increasingly popular option is human composting.
Human composting — otherwise known as natural terramation or organic reduction — is the process of transforming the human body into the soil. At its core, organic reduction accomplishes what the earth has been doing for years – decomposing the human body and returning its nutrients to the ground. At this point, you may be wondering, isn’t that what happens anyway with a traditional burial? While the answer is technically yes, organic reduction occurs much more quickly and is safer for the environment.
Unlike traditional burials, organic reduction does not require a casket or embalming. When a body is embalmed and buried in a casket, the decomposition process can take hundreds of years to complete. Once the body decomposes, the embalming fluid seeps into the ground, essentially poisoning it. Terramation speeds up the body’s return to the earth and does away with the harmful side effects, making it one of the most ecologically friendly and simplest ways to give back to the planet one final time.
The States of Natural Terramation
Terramation occurs in several stages over approximately two months. Below are the six main stages of the entire process.
1. Laying In
In the first stage, the body is placed in a basin and surrounded by a mixture of sawdust and alfalfa. The basin is reusable, so it does not contribute to human waste. If family members so desire, they can participate in the laying process by contributing compostable materials of their own, such as flowers, love letters, seeds, and champaign.
2. Terramation
The sawdust and alfalfa mixture works as a kindling of sorts in that it rapidly heats the body to a temperature of between 130 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The body stays at this temperature for anywhere between three to 10 days. Once the body is at a temperature of at least 130 degrees for 72 hours, it begins to break down. Over the next 30 days, the transformation of the human body to soil takes place.
3. Purification
Once the body has transformed into soil, the terramation company you choose will remove the inorganic components. Those include artificial joints, implants, pacemakers, and titanium screws. With the inorganic matter, the contents are now essentially soil and are ready for processing.
4. Processing
The terramation company will grind the teeth and bones into quarter-inch shards during the processing stage and mix them into the soil. This process is very similar to what occurs during the cremation process.
5. Curing
Once the soil is complete, it must cure for three months. Some companies release the grounds within 30 days, but others have restrictions in place that require them to hold onto it for 90 days.
6. Delivery
Finally, once cured, the terramation company receives the human composted soil. The soil will likely arrive in breathable burlap sacks to ensure it remains vital until use.
The Benefits of Human Composting
The main benefit of natural terramation is that it benefits the environment. It does this in the following ways:
• It allows the body to decompose naturally by utilizing only oxygen and other organic materials.
• It improves soil quality by providing life-sustaining nutrients and preserving nitrogen levels.
• It conserves energy in that it does not require the use of fossil fuels, and nor does it cause pollutants to enter the environment.
• It preserves and restores land in that it does away with the need for a plot in which the body must be buried.
For these reasons alone, organic reduction is a popular alternative to burial and cremation.
What Families Can Do With Human Composted Soil
Another huge benefit of organic reduction is that it allows the family to use the remains in creative and meaningful ways, allowing them to carry on their loved one’s legacy. For example, the soil produced through the terramation process can be used to grow a garden, plant a memorial flower bed, or contribute to a grove of trees. In addition to carrying on a loved one’s legacy, each of these uses gives family members an easy way to visit their deceased loved ones. Instead of visiting a marked grave or a place in which the ashes were scattered, survivors can step in their backyards or visit their local parks to feel the presence of their loved ones.
Organic reduction is an increasingly popular means of dealing with remains. If you feel that it is right for you, talk to an end-of-life consultant about the pros and cons and your different options.
