Death of the funeral? US state poised to legalise human composting amid demand for sustainable services

Washington state is on the verge of becoming the first in the US to allow humans to be turned into compost, amid a surge in demand for sustainable and 'positive' funeral services.

State representative put the final touches to a bill on Friday which legalises two sustainable death care options - a chemical process of alkaline hydrolysis and a natural process of organic reduction.

The bill has now arrived on the desk of Washington's governor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, Jay Inslee, who is expected to sign it into law within days.

The 68-year-old announced his bid for the presidency last month, highlighting his pro-environmental record as governor as he pitched himself as the only candidate committed to making tackling climate change their first priority in office.

Proponents of the human composting bill say an environmentally friendly after-death service is badly needed with an ageing population and as an alternative to costly burial services.


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/04/21/death-funeral-us-state-poised-legalise-human-composting-amid/

In out, in out etc

While I think this is a good idea, funerals are only really expensive because people want 'the best' for their loved one, even though it all comes down to the same thing with frills or without. Funerals were largely affordable, at least outside the larger cities, until the 'American way' of funerals became fashionable in the 80's with the Hodson Company who brought in the hard sell for coffins which are all basically the same either plain, panelled bits and pieces added on, different colour finishes and the pounds get added on. There were many family run funeral directors who usually had a second business like builders, carpenters, garages (Heartbeat style)in every community, who did a pretty reasonably priced and dignified funeral until it became big business, now there are very few small businesses, they can't keep up, the big businesses do the hard sell, like trying to embarrass you into buying the more expensive coffin, which unless its solid makes little difference, plus more expensive robes etc. because they have to bring in the money as its all they do. They'll also tell you that you must have the body embalmed, especially if you want to view, its rubbish, there's no law and no necessity, unless the body has to be sent to another country. Trust me, I was a funeral arranger for 30 years.

Vintage wrote:While I think this is a good idea, funerals are only really expensive because people want 'the best' for their loved one, even though it all comes down to the same thing with frills or without. Funerals were largely affordable, at least outside the larger cities, until the 'American way' of funerals became fashionable in the 80's with the Hodson Company who brought in the hard sell for coffins which are all basically the same either plain, panelled bits and pieces added on, different colour finishes and the pounds get added on. There were many family run funeral directors who usually had a second business like builders, carpenters, garages (Heartbeat style)in every community, who did a pretty reasonably priced and dignified funeral until it became big business, now there are very few small businesses, they can't keep up, the big businesses do the hard sell, like trying to embarrass you into buying the more expensive coffin, which unless its solid makes little difference, plus more expensive robes etc. because they have to bring in the money as its all they do. They'll also tell you that you must have the body embalmed, especially if you want to view, its rubbish, there's no law and no necessity, unless the body has to be sent to another country. Trust me, I was a funeral arranger for 30 years.

Cremation followed by being scattered in my own woodland around my late wife's grave...that'll do for me.
Sorry about the final carbon footprint, folks.

I,m having my Ashes mixed with Groundbait and thrown into my favourite Fishing place.
Or, taking the lead shot out of Cartridges, and putting some Ash in them, and firing them over my field !

That's excellent, nicko. I want cremation and my ashes scattered over my beloved Pacific Ocean, just outside the Golden Gate.

That's good as well Quill !

Cremation with half the ashes mixed with Mr. C’s and let loose near Braemar and the other half spread in Iowa where my grandparents are buried and where I was born. Maybe a tiny bit at Lambeau Field (Go Pack Go)

nicko wrote:I,m having my Ashes mixed with Groundbait and thrown into my favourite Fishing place.
Or, taking the lead shot out of Cartridges, and putting some Ash in them, and firing them over my field !

Why not divide the ashes and do both ?

Good idea Wolfie,