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As Seen In Queen City News: 'Simple, natural, gentle alternative': Charlotte couple turns to human composting for eco-friendly end of life
Queen City News
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July 27, 2026
A Charlotte couple married more than fifty years is planning ahead together, choosing a gentle return to the earth over traditional burial or cremation.
Queen City News reporter David Schuman introduces Marsha and Michael Costigan of Charlotte, North Carolina, who are making end-of-life plans as Michael lives with primary progressive aphasia, a rare form of dementia. Marsha said the couple had once talked about cremation, but the conversation never felt settled, so through a support group she discovered Earth Funeral and its approach to human composting.
The process, also known as soil transformation, wraps the body in a biodegradable shroud and places it in a vessel with organic mulch and wildflowers, where it naturally breaks down into hundreds of pounds of nutrient-rich soil.
For Marsha, the choice reflects who Michael has always been. "It's so good for the earth, and my husband is very ecologically involved," she said, recalling his lifelong habit of recycling. She plans to use some of the resulting soil for her own garden and to donate the rest to Earth Funeral's conservation projects.
North Carolina families don't have to wait for new legislation to access soil transformation. Earth Funeral is available to families facing an immediate need or imminent loss. It was also noted that Earth hopes to open a location in Charlotte in the future, as national data shows most families are still drawn to greener end-of-life options even where legislation hasn't caught up yet.
Return to nature through soil transformation
A natural alternative to burial or cremation that creates new life. Get an instant quote by answering just a few questions.
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Takeaways
- Available to Charlotte Families: Even though North Carolina hasn't yet legalized human composting, Earth Funeral's services remain available to Charlotte families facing an immediate or imminent need.
- Planning Ahead Together: Marsha and Michael Costigan made their decision as part of proactive end-of-life planning, offering a model for other couples navigating similar conversations.
- A Personal Fit: The family chose soil transformation because it aligned with Michael's lifelong ecological values, showing how the process can reflect a person's identity.
- Growing Interest Nationally: Recent data shows a majority of people are interested in exploring greener end-of-life options.
Read the article on Queen City News
"It's so good for the earth."
