Honouring the Trailblazers of Terramation
The journey towards offering terramation as a death care option has been shaped by pioneers who had the courage to challenge the status quo of traditional burial and cremation. Companies like Recompose and Return Home were the first to introduce this option to the market in the US, advocating for sustainable death care and laying the groundwork for future adoption. We are proud to honour the trailblazers who have made this a possibility for families around the world and excited about the path ahead in developing our own technology, vision and services to take terramation even further.
Their contributions have shaped not only terramation but the entire conversation around sustainable death care. Their work has pushed boundaries, not just legally but emotionally, as they help people rethink their end-of-life options. By offering a way to turn our remains into something that nourishes the planet, these pioneers are changing how we think about legacy and our role in the natural world.
At Evergrove, we are proud to be part of this global movement. The work of Katrina, Micah, Pablo, Max, Seth and Tom has laid the foundation for businesses like ours to bring terramation to new regions and communities. We remain deeply inspired by their leadership and are committed to continuing the evolution of death care, offering people more meaningful, sustainable ways to be remembered. As we look to the future, Evergrove is dedicated to building on the work of these incredible innovators. We see a world where everyone has the option to choose a nature-positive, legacy-building farewell. While we are at the beginning of our journey, we are honoured to be part of this movement and excited about the possibilities ahead.
Katrina Spade is one of the most influential figures in the development of terramation. As the founder of Recompose, the first business to offer terramation, Katrina’s visionary work began with the simple idea of returning bodies to the earth in a sustainable and meaningful way. Her research into the natural decomposition process culminated in opening Recompose’s facility in Washington State, which became operational in 2020 after pioneering efforts to pass legislation allowing terramation in the U.S.
Through Katrina's leadership, Recompose has inspired a global movement towards more nature-positive death care practices. Her work has influenced legislative changes, with several U.S. states now legalising terramation as a recognised alternative to burial and cremation. Without her groundbreaking work, the US death care industry might not have seen the rise of terramation as a viable option.
Katrina Spade, Recompose (US)
Micah Truman, Return Home (US)
In 2019, Micah Truman founded Return Home and further contributed to this evolving field by developing one of the first large-scale terramation facilities in the U.S. His mission has always been to provide families with a dignified and nature-positive option that honours their loved ones. Return Home has helped raise public awareness around terramation, demonstrating that this method is not only ecologically responsible but also an emotionally fulfilling way to say goodbye.
In 2022, Micah and Return Home hosted the first-ever ‘Terracon’ conference, which brought together industry leaders, religious figures, policymakers, and families to discuss the future of Terramation. We at Evergrove attended this conference virtually and were deeply moved by the enthusiasm and commitment to transforming death care. The conference also provided a platform for families to share their experiences of choosing Terramation for their loved ones, revealing its profound impact on their grieving and healing processes.
Germany has been a leader in embracing sustainable end-of-life care technologies, including adapting terramation for use within its unique regulatory framework. Since 2020, Pablo Metz and Max Heuch, co-founders of Meine Erde (My Earth), have been pioneering the development of terramation for the German market, completing their first transformation in 2022. To comply with German laws requiring remains to be interred within cemetery grounds, Meine Erde has adapted the process specifically for cemetery use.
This adaptation allows terramation to complete in a shorter time frame by meeting cemetery standards rather than the higher purity levels typically required for open land use. Because the resulting earth is interred in cemetery plots, it faces fewer regulatory restrictions on soil quality than processes designed for broader environmental use. This streamlined approach not only makes terramation more viable within urban cemeteries but also helps reduce cemetery maintenance costs, as the transformed earth integrates more naturally into cemetery ecosystems. Germany’s experience with adapting terramation for urban environments shows that this process can be both flexible and scalable, making it an ideal solution for cities and countries facing limited burial space and a growing demand for eco-friendly alternatives.
Pablo Metz and Max Heuch, Meine Erde (Germany)
Seth Viddal, The Natural Funeral (US)
Seth Viddal, co-founder of The Natural Funeral in Colorado, has been a leading figure in normalising terramation as a respectful and environmentally sound alternative to traditional burial and cremation. His funeral home was one of the first to offer this service in Colorado, soon after the state legalised the practice in 2021. His design of the "chrysalis" vessel, used for terramation, reflects the care he puts into making the process meaningful and dignified for grieving families.
Tom Harries, founder of Earth Funeral, has been a prominent advocate for terramation. His work has centred on refining and scaling the service, with the goal of making it more accessible to a wider audience. By leveraging well-established methods, Harries has raised public awareness of carbon-neutral death care and played a key role in the growing shift toward environmentally conscious funeral practices. His efforts have been instrumental in making terramation a more widely recognised and accepted option in the US.