Return Home – Human Composting
The week off brought a few tasks into fruition. First, yet another visit to the PNW. As Cat is traveling, she let me stay at her lovely abode, here on Capitol Hill. All the amenities including a washer and dryer. Managed to get sick prior, so it was a great place to lay low (and think about EOL).
The first item on my agenda was to take care of the final arrangement. I’m super excited about this. I’ve been trolling Jake for over a year at Return Home, trying to figure out where/who’s gonna compost my body. The reason why Return Home stuck out is because they are focusing on the ‘movement.’
My engagement with this process has been beyond a personal interest for myself but for the planet. It makes all the sense AND is an area (death) that has become increasingly relevant in this fragile world. I recall a piece that I created, FEP (Final Exit Plan) circa 2009, inspired by reading the Final Exit (Derek Humphry) who’s book started the Final Exit Network…so in a sense this has been a topic that I’ve been interested in for awhile.
(this post may be changing as the sentiments about death shifts).
The breakdown is interesting:
| Service | Earth | Return Home | Recompose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name of process | Soil Transformation | Terramation | Soil Transformation |
| Laying In (ability to ‘lay in’ your loved one, be part of the ritual) | No | Yes | No |
| Laying In (ability to hold funeral services with the body) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Meet the Team | No | Yes | Yes |
| Visit the Facilities/Tour (Ease) | Yes, schedule | Yes, 24 hours (easy) | Yes, schedule |
| Robust Website | Yes | No | Yes |
| Movement | No | Yes | To a certain degree |
| Established Partners in CA | Yes | No | Yes, guided |
| Death Doula | No | No | Yes (local to CA) |
| Costs (though this is tad complicated due to the legalese of body transport) – quoted for full up front payment | $5,450 (not clear how out of state works) | $6,915 (outside WA, purchase insurance – $4,950 + $2000) | $7,000 (outside WA, require engagement with local funeral home – additional costs) |
| General Notes: | 1st on the market; not as personal, transactional | 2nd on the market; quite personable; mobilizing a movement by hosting “TerraCon“ | 3rd on the market; all the bells and whistles of death – think reimagine |
