Is there a way to be eco-friendly when you die? Consider human composting for your corpse

When you die, what would you want to be done with your corpse? Would you consider human composting if it would benefit the environment?

Recompose, the first funeral home in the world licensed to do human composting, is hoping so.

The process involves placing the body in a vessel with wood chips, alfalfa, and straw. Of course, loved ones are first given the chance to say goodbye.

The corpse then stays in the vessel anywhere from four to seven weeks. With the help of microbes, the corpse erodes into the soil properly.

"Controlling the ratio of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and moisture, human composting creates the perfect environment for microbes and beneficial bacteria to thrive," Recompose said.

The soil is then left to dry for up to six weeks. Afterward, it can be donated to forest conservation.

Human composting is good for the environment, since it eliminates the harmful environmental effects of the usual burial or cremation, the latter of which usually emits smoke into the air.

According to Recompose, for every person that chooses to compost the corpse versus having a conventional burial or cremation, they prevent one metric ton of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.

So far, only six states in the USA have legalized human composting. Some environmentalists hope to change that in the coming months.

—Kimberly Tsao/MGP, GMA Integrated News