Footnotes From the Archives News in Brief Washington State Legalizes Composting of Human Remains It's the first state to allow the practice, which is intended to be a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burial or cremation. Rebecca Worby
Environment Why Human Composting Might Be the Green Alternative to Conventional Burials The process turns the human body into nutrient-rich soil naturally in about 30 days, and it could soon be legalized in Washington State. Hallie Golden
Environment The Rise of the Green Burial To keep tons of steel and harmful embalming fluids out of the ground—and to save money—more and more Americans are considering a natural burial after death. Steven Johnson