California's dead will have a new burial option: Human composting

[Auggie]

SACRAMENTO — California will begin allowing an alternative burial method known as human composting in 2027, under a bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday.

Assembly Bill 351 by Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) will create a state regulatory process for natural organic reduction, a method in which human remains naturally decompose over a 30-to-45-day period after being placed in a steel vessel and buried in wood chips, alfalfa and other biodegradable materials. The nutrient-dense soil created by the process can then be returned to families or donated to conservation land.

Supporters say it’s an eco-friendly alternative to traditional end-of-life options. Cremation, for example, is an energy-intense process that produces carbon dioxide emissions, while traditional burial uses chemicals to embalm bodies and a nonbiodegradable coffin to store them.

California will join Washington, Colorado, Oregon and Vermont in allowing human composting.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-09-18/will-california-allow-human-composting-the-decision-is-in

But then there's this ...

The California Catholic Conference opposed the bill, saying the process “reduces the human body to simply a disposable commodity.”

“The practice of respectfully burying the bodies or the honoring the ashes of the deceased comports with the virtually universal norm of reverence and care towards the deceased,” said the group, which is the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in California.

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The human body is a disposable commodity.

Besides ... my body, my choice.

[Croney]

1. I wonder if this will reduce the number of bodies donated to science,

which is what I'm considering, just to make myself useful! Composting me sounds good too.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. The Catholic Church should read its doctrines. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust ....

Wonder how much money they make from cemetery maintenance, funeral services, overhead? Bet they clip north of $1500 per head, plus annuals.

[jimfields33]

13. The church will come around. At one time cremation was not liked.

Now it’s typical in the church.

[Ocelot II]

3. I have a mental picture of a garden compost bin with a foot sticking out...

Kind of like the wood chipper in Fargo.

[Auggie]

4. ROFL

[hlthe2b]

8. Well, if someone is asleep on the job, maybe...

[markie]

5. just

fuck the Catholics... the human body IS a disposable commodity... get over it

[markie]

6. it is still

legal in Vermont to bury on your own property... I am still looking for the best spot

[hlthe2b]

7. Only nuclear waste is (essentially) permanent...

We really are inconsequential in the end.

[bahboo]

9. I'm in...

[Hugh_Lebowski]

10. I love it but can you even imagine how bad that would smell at the end?

I have to imagine that if the remains are returned 'to the family' there'd have to be some kind of process to have them delivered and buried at least a few feet underground, with a tree planted in that spot or something like that.

Much as you may love your dearly departed you aren't gonna want to deal with those remains yourself. They will smell worse than death.

Actually probably a good business opportunity I'm describing here ... a contractor service doing delivery/excavation/deposition/tree-planting.

[Maraya1969]

16. Maybe the wood chips alfalfa and other biodegradable materials stuffed into the steal box mask the

smell initially. I don't know how long a body stinks for but it's not forever.

Kind of like people buried in shallow graves are not found by smell.

[Martin68]

18. Decomposing flesh does indeed smell bad, but compost smells good. A few feet underground is all it

takes for nature to recycle us.

[Sneederbunk]

11. There is a concern Repug bodies could contaminate gardens.

[Butterflylady]

12. I am going to the body farm in Tennessee.

I have signed all the forms and had the witnessed. All my family will have to pay is transportation to the farm. I will leave enough money for that expense. Then I will be used for forensic science.

[GenXer47]

14. I'd like my body to be devoured by mockingbirds

who were raised on the music of John Coltrane.

[Auggie]

15. +1

[Martin68]

17. I am seriously considering the composting option. I have always said I would want to be buried in a

big hole near a large tree without a coffin or preservatives.