A carbon neutral alternative to cremation

Make arrangements from the convenience of your own home, or at one of our facilities.

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A pair of outstretched human hands holding soil or compost with green plants growing. A forest floor in the background

What is soil transformation?

Soil transformation is a natural, environmentally-friendly alternative to burial and cremation, which is sometimes referred to as human composting. Over a 45-day process, a body is gently transformed into a cubic-yard of nutrient-rich soil.

Families choose how much soil they would like returned – to scatter or plant – and the remainder is donated to local conservation projects for land restoration initiatives.

Soil transformation is for nature lovers, conservationists, and for those of us who want to protect the planet for future generations. Whether you need our services now, or you’re planning for the future, Earth promises a sustainable process, transparent prices, and 24/7 best-in-class care.

Read more about soil transformation

The world's most sustainable urban funeral process

Earth Soil Transformation

Aquamation

Cremation

Energy source
Renewable Electric
Electric
Fossil fuel
Net CO2 emissions
None
None
535lbs
Water consumption
40 gallons
400 gallons
None
Output
Nutrient-rich soil used for land restoration
Water flushed into mains sewer
CO2, harmful gasses, heavy metals including mercury

The Earth Process

Our end-to-end process takes around 8 weeks. We keep you updated at each stage of the process.

Step one

Arrangements

Family making funeral arrangements using Earth's online funeral services

Contact Earth

1 hour

Whether you contact us through our website or call our dedicated care team, we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you make arrangements. You can also visit one of our facilities.

Collection

1 - 2 days

As soon as the arrangements have been completed and the required legal documents have been signed, we’ll bring your loved one into our care.

If your loved one is in a coroner’s office or hospital, this will be during business hours. If they’re at a private residence or nursing home, this will be immediate.

Step two

Soil transformation

Human composting facility - Earth

Death registration

2 - 5 days

Once in our care, we register the death with the county and state. This is a legal requirement before we’re able to move forward with the soil transformation process. The speed of the death registration process depends on the responsiveness of the doctor, who is required to provide the causes of death.

It’s at this stage that we also order death certificates on your behalf. We’ll let you know as soon as they’ve been ordered.

Soil transformation

45 days

Once the death has been registered, we’re able to move forward with the soil transformation process. Each process is private, dignified and takes place in its own individual vessel.

Read more about the soil transformation process.

Step three

Finished soil

Soil return

1 - 3 days

We return portions of the soil in biodegradable containers. Choose to have it sent to any US postal address via USPS Priority Mail Express, or collect it in person from one of our facilities.

Earth soil bag Donate soil to nature conservation - Earth

Return to nature

Eternal

Since the cubic-yard of soil produced during the soil transformation process is too much for most families, we send the remaining soil to our Olympic Peninsula conservation site, where it’s used for land restoration projects including reforestation, erosion control and restoring soil health.

Mobile view of Earth's digital platform example - Online Funeral Services

Online convenience

For your convenience, we’ve developed an industry-leading online experience.

  • Simple online arrangement process
  • Digital paperwork & signatures
  • Online portal to manage your arrangements
  • Real-time status updates
  • Beautiful online obituaries

Read more about our online experience.

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