California has now legalized human composting as a new end-of-life burial option that will benefit the environment.

Source: CBS Los Angeles/YouTube

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the new bill into law last week, which creates a state regulatory process for “natural organic reduction.” This process transforms human remains into the soil. The law will go into effect in 2027, and the state is now the 5th in the US that has legalized human composting. Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Vermont also have legalized the eco-friendly end-of-life option.

Human composting is significantly better for the environment compared to cremation and burial caskets. Many cultures around the world also have similar traditions of returning bodies to nature or back into the soil after death.

Human composting involves placing a body into an insulated vessel that has organic material and helps speed up the composting process. Teeth are removed to prevent mercury contamination from possible dental fillings. Once decomposition is complete, which can take three months, the vessel is opened, and large bones are removed. The smaller bones can be pulverized and left in the vessel for a longer period to decompose. The soil can be returned to the family to use how they wish, or the funeral home often offers services to get the soil back into the earth.

Not only can casket burials be incredibly expensive, but the creation of the casket requires emissions for manufacturing and transportation. On the other hand, cremation has a huge carbon footprint. Research has found that cremation gives off as many emissions as driving a car 700 miles.

This could be an amazing way to reconnect with nature and do one last amazing thing for the earth. We hope that other states will be encouraged to follow this new legalization!

Related Content:

• 7 Things That Make Compost Awesome
• 7 Ways to Say Goodbye and Honor the Memory of Your Departed Pet
• 10 of the Most Interesting Pet Cemeteries in the United States
• 10 Deadly Pandemics that Changed the Course of History
• 7 Basic Composting Secrets for Better Results

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take the initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that are raising awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your own food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!