We never thought we’d see the day. Green-Wood Cemetery—a national landmark, a place revered for preserving history, art, and memory—now plans to offer human composting. What an absolute disgrace. A stain on their legacy.
And let’s be honest: this is the third bad decision in less than a year. Those familiar with the cemetery know exactly what we mean. The pattern is impossible to ignore.
This was the last place we ever imagined would chase a trend that treats human remains like yard waste. A cemetery that built its reputation on honoring the dead now wants to turn them into “soil.” If you don’t care about the morality of it, here’s some food for thought: with graves selling for over $20,000, how much do you think this new “service” will cost? Follow the money. The motivation isn’t mysterious.
And let’s not forget: this is a cemetery that contains some of the most famous figures in American history—artists, inventors, industrialists, cultural icons. They make a great deal of money giving tours, celebrating the very people whose graves draw visitors from around the world.
Imagine if all those people had been composted. No monuments. No markers. No history to stand before. No legacy to preserve. Just “soil.” The entire identity of the cemetery—its prestige, its cultural value, its tourism revenue—would vanish.
And please—spare us the “green” marketing spin. Anyone who actually understands burial practices knows that a simple green burial is far more environmentally sound. Even embalming experts will tell you that the idea of formaldehyde “leaching into the ground” is exaggerated nonsense.
Let’s also be clear: three major religions oppose this practice outright. They consider it a desecration of the body, because the human body is sacred. That’s the foundation of funeral service itself—to mark the end of a life with honor and respect. But sure—let’s all pretend this is some enlightened new frontier.
And for those gleefully saying it’s “about time we embraced something like this,” We’d love to know who exactly is eager to picture their loved one in a state of active decomposition. Having seen more decomposed bodies in our careers than most people could stomach, we can attest to the gruesomeness of it. To do this on purpose feels twisted.
Meanwhile, watching the new, ill‑equipped president of the cemetery—who until now has been largely invisible and certainly hasn’t been out there championing Green‑Wood’s many positives—choose this moment to speak publicly was almost painful. Her attempt to explain the decision, despite clearly not understanding what she was talking about, only underscored how unprepared she is for the role. She lacks the gravitas, the institutional memory, and the genuine affection for the place that the position demands.
And then there was her uninformed comment: “People are very, very interested in making sure that they have sustainable ways to remember their family.” Really? Because as funeral directors who’ve arranged thousands of funerals between us over the course of our long careers, we’ve not had a single request for human composting—or green burial, for that matter. Not one. Nor have any of the colleagues we’ve spoken to. Families aren’t asking for this. They’re not even curious about it.
In fact, the closest I’ve ever come was during an arrangement conference when a woman pointed to a wicker “casket” used for green burial. I explained what it was. She scrunched up her nose in disgust and said, “I might put my laundry in that, but I sure wouldn’t put my mother in there.” That’s the reality—not the fantasy being spun by people desperate to justify a bad idea, or gleefully focused on the macabre aspect of these supposed popular new “trends.”
For a place that once stood as a guardian of history, culture, and dignity, this move is nothing short of heartbreaking. Green-Wood was supposed to be better than this.
The Morte Girls 