As Seen In TODAY: Martha Stewart Says She Wants to Be Composted

TODAY covers Martha Stewart’s on-air announcement that she plans to be composted when she dies, introducing millions of viewers to natural organic reduction and highlighting expert insight from Earth Funeral.

During an interview on the “50+ & Unfiltered” podcast, host Shawn Killinger asked Stewart whether she preferred burial or cremation. Stewart replied instantly, “Oh, I’m going to be composted,” adding that traditional options don’t appeal to her: “These coffin things and all that stuff? No way.”

Stewart described wanting a simple, natural return to the land. Her comments triggered widespread attention online, with fans praising her environmental values and calling human composting “beautiful” and “thoughtful.”

TODAY explains that the regulated version of the process, known as natural organic reduction or human composting, is now legal in 14 states. The piece outlines how the process works, how long it takes, and why more Americans are choosing it as an alternative to flame cremation or conventional burial.

The piece also features expert commentary from Earth Funeral co-founder Tom Harries, who told NBC 7 San Diego: “The idea of a gentle, natural process that doesn’t produce any man-made CO₂ and that returns you to nature resonated with me a lot.” He added that "The beauty of this process is what you can do with the soil. You can keep it, you can scatter it in a meaningful place or places, and you can plant things with it."