New York City's oldest cemetery is taking a radical step towards becoming more eco-friendly: it plans to start composting human remains. As of 2027, Green-Wood Cemetery will begin partnering with German-based funeral company Meine Erde to offer "natural organic reduction," an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burial or cremation methods.
For those who choose this option, their bodies will be encased in a specially designed casket that accelerates decomposition. Organic materials such as clover and alfalfa are added to the casket, which is then left to break down into 200-gallon batches of nutrient-rich dirt. The process takes around 40 days and results in a fossil-free funeral option.
President Meera Joshi believes this move will not only reduce environmental harm but also provide a more sustainable way for people to say goodbye to their loved ones. "It's basically the same process as when a tree falls in the woods and slowly becomes earth over time," she said.
However, there are some caveats. The composted human remains can't leave the cemetery grounds, according to New York state law. Instead, they'll be added to the soil, where they can even support new plant growth. Joshi likens this process to returning people to their natural habitat: "We've gone back to earth. We've gone back to where we came long ago."
As for costs, Green-Wood hasn't announced pricing yet, but similar services in other states range from $5,000 to $7,000 – a fraction of the cost of traditional burial options at the cemetery. The company has already received interest, and those who want their bodies composted can inquire on their website.
Currently, cremation and traditional burial are the only two options available to people, both of which come with significant environmental costs. Cremation releases massive amounts of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, while conventional burials contaminate soil and groundwater due to embalming fluids and metals.
By offering composting as an alternative, Green-Wood Cemetery aims to provide more sustainable funeral options for its long-time residents in New York City. As Joshi put it: "Everybody wants to be and stay in New York City... If cemeteries are confined only to land sales and lot sales, at some point you run out of space."
For those who choose this option, their bodies will be encased in a specially designed casket that accelerates decomposition. Organic materials such as clover and alfalfa are added to the casket, which is then left to break down into 200-gallon batches of nutrient-rich dirt. The process takes around 40 days and results in a fossil-free funeral option.
President Meera Joshi believes this move will not only reduce environmental harm but also provide a more sustainable way for people to say goodbye to their loved ones. "It's basically the same process as when a tree falls in the woods and slowly becomes earth over time," she said.
However, there are some caveats. The composted human remains can't leave the cemetery grounds, according to New York state law. Instead, they'll be added to the soil, where they can even support new plant growth. Joshi likens this process to returning people to their natural habitat: "We've gone back to earth. We've gone back to where we came long ago."
As for costs, Green-Wood hasn't announced pricing yet, but similar services in other states range from $5,000 to $7,000 – a fraction of the cost of traditional burial options at the cemetery. The company has already received interest, and those who want their bodies composted can inquire on their website.
Currently, cremation and traditional burial are the only two options available to people, both of which come with significant environmental costs. Cremation releases massive amounts of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, while conventional burials contaminate soil and groundwater due to embalming fluids and metals.
By offering composting as an alternative, Green-Wood Cemetery aims to provide more sustainable funeral options for its long-time residents in New York City. As Joshi put it: "Everybody wants to be and stay in New York City... If cemeteries are confined only to land sales and lot sales, at some point you run out of space."
. But seriously, this composting thing sounds like a game-changer! I mean, who wouldn't want to become fertilizer for the plants 
? It's like nature was just waiting for us to figure out how to join the party 
. And $5,000-$7,000 is still steep, but it's like President Joshi said, we're basically becoming part of the earth again 
. I'm not sure if I'd want my body turned into dirt, but hey, at least it's a more sustainable way to go out 
. Can you imagine the Instagram posts? "RIP, I've been composted and I'm supporting a new tree!" 
! Green-Wood Cemetery is literally taking a giant step towards reducing waste & being more eco-friendly 
And the fact that it's composting human remains is actually kinda beautiful 
. Plus, think of all the space we'll free up with no more gravesites or coffins 
. The only thing I'm a bit worried about is the cost - $5k-$7k might be a lil steep for some ppl 
. But hey, it's an option for those who wanna do their part for the planet 
. Fingers crossed that more cemeteries follow suit & we get to see even more eco-friendly funeral options in the future 
!
. I'm not sure about the cost though, $5,000 to $7,000 seems steep even for those who want to live sustainably. But hey, if it means reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting new plant growth, then it's worth considering. It's also interesting how this option could help alleviate space constraints in urban cemeteries like Green-Wood Cemetery. I wonder what the next radical step would be in sustainable funeral practices 
.
and the clover & alfalfa they're adding to 'accelerate decomposition'... isn't that just moving the problem from one place to another? 
... maybe this is a step in the right direction?
shouldn't there be more options for families who want to be creative with funeral arrangements? 
. It’s also good to see New York City taking steps towards sustainability. Not everyone can afford this option, but for those who can, it might be a more eco-friendly way to say goodbye. And yeah, the fact that you can actually support new plant growth from your own body is just... wild 
.
. I mean, sure, it's eco-friendly and all that jazz, but can't we just stick with traditional burials or cremations like normal people? This whole "natural organic reduction" thing sounds like something out of a bad sci-fi movie... 40 days for the body to break down into dirt? Give me a break. And what's up with the $5,000-$7,000 price tag? That's just crazy 
. How's the decomposing process supposed to work if they can't even leave the cemetery grounds? It's all about sustainability, but what about those who want their ashes scattered in other locations? And $5k-$7k for this "natural organic reduction" thingy? That's a pretty penny 
. anywayz, its awesome 2 c green-wood cemetery jumpin on board w/ composting! 40 days is a pretty reasonable timeframe btw 
! I love that Green-Wood Cemetery is taking a step towards reducing environmental harm and giving people more sustainable options for saying goodbye to their loved ones. It's like, we're not just talking about the planet, we're talking about respecting our bodies after we're gone 
.
think about all those greenhouse gases that get released from cremation its like a whole different level of eco-friendly I mean who would've thought we could just compost human remains into nutrient-rich dirt its genius. and the prices are actually pretty reasonable too thats a huge bonus for people who want to say goodbye in an earthy way. meera joshi makes so much sense when she says weve gone back to earth like we're literally returning to our natural habitat it feels really symbolic and beautiful
It's like, full circle, you know? Plus, think of all those greenhouse gases being released from cremation 
gone, replaced by nutrient-rich dirt that actually helps new plants grow! 
. It's not like we're going to run out of space or anything 
! Can't wait to see what other eco-friendly moves come our way 
.
anyway president meera joshi is lowkey obsessed with it and thinks its like returning ppl to the earth basically 
still, I guess it's a good step towards reducing waste and all that 
It's amazing that they're partnering with Meine Erde to make it happen