Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn's Oldest Graveyard, Takes a Revolutionary Leap Towards Sustainability.
In a bid to revolutionize death care in the city, Green-Wood Cemetery is now set to offer an innovative alternative to traditional burials and cremations – natural organic reduction, or "terramation". This method of disposing of human remains will not only reduce environmental impact but also create nutrient-rich soil for the cemetery's grounds.
The idea is being brought to life in partnership with German-based funeral company Meine Erde. The process involves placing an unembalmed body in a specially designed casket that controls humidity and ventilation, while also rocking back and forth to accelerate decomposition. Organic materials such as clover and straw are added to the casket, which is then left to decompose over 40 days, producing a rich batch of soil.
According to Green-Wood Cemetery President Meera Joshi, this method is akin to "the natural process that occurs when a tree falls in the woods" – slowly becoming one with the earth. The cemetery will not allow the resulting composted remains to leave its grounds, as per New York state law that legalized human composting in 2023.
The benefits of terramation extend beyond environmental sustainability; it also offers the possibility of repurposing human remains into fertile soil for tree planting and landscaping. "We've gone back to earth," Joshi said. "It's a beautiful way to return to where we came from." The process, which will be available starting in 2027, is expected to cost significantly less than traditional burials, with prices ranging from $5,000 to $7,000 – far cheaper than the cemetery's standard gravesite fees.
The shift towards terramation represents a crucial step forward for the cemetery and its efforts to reduce environmental impact. With cremation requiring substantial amounts of fuel and air pollution, and conventional burials contributing to soil contamination, this alternative offers a cleaner and more sustainable way to say goodbye to loved ones. By incorporating terramation into its offerings, Green-Wood Cemetery is poised to provide an eco-friendly option for those seeking a more environmentally conscious death care experience.
In a bid to revolutionize death care in the city, Green-Wood Cemetery is now set to offer an innovative alternative to traditional burials and cremations – natural organic reduction, or "terramation". This method of disposing of human remains will not only reduce environmental impact but also create nutrient-rich soil for the cemetery's grounds.
The idea is being brought to life in partnership with German-based funeral company Meine Erde. The process involves placing an unembalmed body in a specially designed casket that controls humidity and ventilation, while also rocking back and forth to accelerate decomposition. Organic materials such as clover and straw are added to the casket, which is then left to decompose over 40 days, producing a rich batch of soil.
According to Green-Wood Cemetery President Meera Joshi, this method is akin to "the natural process that occurs when a tree falls in the woods" – slowly becoming one with the earth. The cemetery will not allow the resulting composted remains to leave its grounds, as per New York state law that legalized human composting in 2023.
The benefits of terramation extend beyond environmental sustainability; it also offers the possibility of repurposing human remains into fertile soil for tree planting and landscaping. "We've gone back to earth," Joshi said. "It's a beautiful way to return to where we came from." The process, which will be available starting in 2027, is expected to cost significantly less than traditional burials, with prices ranging from $5,000 to $7,000 – far cheaper than the cemetery's standard gravesite fees.
The shift towards terramation represents a crucial step forward for the cemetery and its efforts to reduce environmental impact. With cremation requiring substantial amounts of fuel and air pollution, and conventional burials contributing to soil contamination, this alternative offers a cleaner and more sustainable way to say goodbye to loved ones. By incorporating terramation into its offerings, Green-Wood Cemetery is poised to provide an eco-friendly option for those seeking a more environmentally conscious death care experience.
I'm loving the idea of natural organic reduction at Green-Wood Cemetery! It's like, totally cool that they're embracing this sustainable way to handle human remains 
. The fact that it'll create nutrient-rich soil is just wow - think of all the trees and flowers that could be planted using those remains 
. And yeah, I can see why prices would be lower than traditional burials... who needs all that fancy stuff when you're just trying to reduce your carbon footprint? 
The process might sound a bit weird at first (rocking back and forth while decomposing), but hey, it's better than contributing to soil contamination or air pollution. 
I'm all about it! Natural organic reduction is like, the future of death care 
. Less fuel consumption = less air pollution, and creating nutrient-rich soil? Game-changer! It's actually kinda beautiful to think about our remains becoming part of the earth again 
...and can you imagine the impact on local ecosystems? Tree planting, landscaping, all that good stuff...it's like our loved ones are still with us, just in a different way 
The idea of using clover and straw to accelerate decomposition is genius 
. And the fact that the resulting composted remains will be reused as fertilizer for trees and landscaping is just amazing 
️.
The idea of natural organic reduction, or terramation, is a game-changer for the environment and our loved ones' legacy. It's amazing that Green-Wood Cemetery is leading the way with this innovative approach. The fact that it'll cost less than traditional burials is just the cherry on top - who doesn't want to save some cash while making a positive impact? 
#SustainabilityMatters #EcoFriendlyDeathCare #GreenWoodCemetery
Terramation feels like a natural progression – we've got plants and trees dying, decaying, becoming part of the soil, and this process is kind of like that too... but with humans 
. It's not just about saving resources or reducing waste; it's about finding meaning in our own mortality. Like, what does it mean to be human if we're not connected to the land? 
. I mean, can you imagine being able to return to the earth in such a beautiful way? It's like, we've always been connected to nature, but now we're literally becoming part of it 
. Let's keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible and create a more sustainable future for ourselves and our planet 
. And addin' clover and straw to speed up the decomposition process? Genius! 
. And the fact that it's cheaper than traditional burials is a major plus 
). Seriously though, it's a great step forward for Green-Wood Cemetery and a nice alternative to all those chemicals and fuels used in cremation. Good on them for trying something new and sustainable 
. I mean, who would've thought we'd be talking about turning people into soil in Brooklyn? It's like something out of a sci-fi movie 
. But seriously, it's kinda beautiful thinking about it that way – becoming one with the earth and all that jazz 
.
I think it's super interesting how they're trying to turn something that's so not natural into a sustainable process 
. Not to mention, what will happen to the remains of those who can't afford terramation? Will they be buried or cremated like everyone else? I hope the cemetery will provide some sort of financial assistance or alternatives for those who want to say goodbye to their loved ones in a more eco-friendly way 
.
. But hey, more options are always better, right?