For the past year I have been a death doula candidate working on becoming certified as a death doula. In diving into the depths of death and all that it brings I asked my husband a straightforward question that I thought would bring a straightforward answer! Spoiler alert…. I didn't get that. What I got from him was what would become a great conversation that I feel that everyone should be having, regardless of if death is imminent. My question was in relation to our course material and in working with a person who was dying. A section on death planning is a domain that we work on and ask the question, “burial or cremation?” I turned to my husband and asked. He responded with an answer that struck me as odd. Neither! Say what?????
Yes, you heard that right, he said neither, and he wasn't happy about the choices he had. In being a death doula, it is important that we ask these questions before death and to have a clear understanding of a person’s wishes and choices so that we can convey this to family and friends and to ensure that a person has a death that they would be proud of.
So where did this lead to? A search into other alternatives for my husband, and I must admit, me as well, led us to the business of Terramation. Terramation is a process that transforms human remains into nutrient-rich soil through natural decomposition. Instead of using traditional embalming chemicals and caskets, the body is placed in a specially designed vessel with a mixture of wood chips or alfalfa, straw, and other organic materials. Over the course of several weeks, microbes break down organic matter, generating heat and composting the body to a rich, fertile soil. Further investigation and research let to this information according to terramation.uk
Reduced Carbon Emissions: Cremation requires a significant amount of energy and produces greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change. Terramation, on the other hand, is a low-energy process that produces little to no greenhouse gases.
Resource Conservation: Traditional burials often involve the use of precious resources, such as hardwood for caskets and concrete for burial vaults. Terramation eliminates the need for these materials, conserving natural resources and reducing waste.
Land Use: As the population grows and urban areas expand, available land for burial is becoming increasingly scarce. Terramation requires much less space, as the resulting soil can be used to nourish plants, trees, or even public green spaces.
You could see the wheels churning in my husband’s brain as he is an environmentalist and wasn’t happy with the chemicals used with traditional embalming, and with the environmental impact of burning his body at a high temperature and the high use of electricity. The thought of being returned to the earth and not leaving a carbon footprint appealed to us both. So, is it that simple in Canada? The answer is no. There currently is no place in Canada that offers Terramation as it is not a legal practice. In the USA there are 6 states where you can have Terramation done. A company called Earth’s option is partnering with a business in Washington called Return Home. The company offers Terramation for around $4000 US and the cost of having the body transferred to Washington. The average body composts to approximately 400 lbs of compost that you can take home with you, partially take home or choose to have your compost returned to their 8 acres of land. This spoke to our heart about leaving the Earth in a way that we felt proud of. It seems that there is a lot of advocating and work to be done in Canada to bring this to fruition, but it is my hope that when I am working with someone in the future that nears death, that I can ask the question, “do you want cremation, burial, or terramation?
In being a death doula and asking the tough questions beforehand, I learned that each person that I am working with is an individual with different values, beliefs and needs. In asking my husband this question and not getting the “cookie cutter” answer, I learned to always ask and keep an open mind. For more information about becoming a Death doula, or having a death doula in your life, here are some links to get you started.
For more information on Terramation, I have included a few links for you
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Tammie Myers is an HHA Death Doula Candidate in Manitoba, Canada.
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