Top 8 Green Burial & Human Composting Providers in Los Angeles
More families across Los Angeles are asking for a simpler, cleaner goodbye, one that skips embalming chemicals and heavy concrete and lets the body return to the earth. Interest in green burial Los Angeles options has climbed as people learn that a natural farewell is legal, affordable, and available across Southern California. This guide ranks eight green burial and human composting providers that serve the Los Angeles area, starting with the family-owned team many local families call first. You will learn what separates a genuine green burial from a conventional one, how human composting (also called terramation) works, and what California's AB 351 law means for residents who want that option. Whether you are pre-planning for yourself or arranging care for someone who has died, the goal here is clear, honest information without pressure. Each provider below is described fairly, with real service details rather than sales spin, so you can compare approaches and decide what fits your family and your values.
What Is Green Burial?
Green burial is a way of burying a body so it decomposes naturally and returns nutrients to the earth. There is no embalming with formaldehyde-based chemicals, no metal or exotic-hardwood casket, and no concrete burial vault. Instead, the body is placed in a biodegradable casket, a simple cloth shroud, or a wicker or wooden container, then buried at a depth that supports natural breakdown. The result is a lighter environmental footprint and, for many families, a more meaningful and hands-on farewell. Green burial is legal throughout California, and a growing number of cemeteries maintain dedicated natural burial sections or conservation grounds where no synthetic materials are allowed.
What Is Human Composting (Terramation)?
Human composting is a process that gently transforms a body into nutrient-rich soil over several weeks. It is also called terramation or natural organic reduction. The body is placed in a sealed vessel with wood chips, straw, and alfalfa, and controlled airflow plus natural microbial activity break it down. After roughly six to eight weeks, families receive soil that can nourish a garden, a tree, or a memorial forest. California legalized human composting when Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 351 (AB 351) in 2022, with the law taking effect on January 1, 2027. Until California facilities are fully licensed, Los Angeles families can still choose terramation through out-of-state providers that arrange transport and return the finished soil.
1. Farrington Mortuary & Cremation (Top Pick for Los Angeles)
Farrington Mortuary & Cremation is a family-owned firm based in Santa Monica that serves families across Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Orange County, and greater Southern California. With more than 30 years of experience, the Farrington team has built its reputation on compassion, honesty, and transparent pricing, three qualities that matter a great deal when you are making decisions during a hard week. The firm offers natural and green burial, human composting (terramation), full body burial at sea, cremation, and pre-planning, so a single trusted provider can guide almost any eco-conscious choice.
What sets Farrington apart is the no-pressure approach. Staff explain each option plainly, share costs up front, and let families take the time they need. The firm is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which means someone answers when you call at 2 a.m. as readily as at 2 p.m. For Los Angeles residents who want a genuinely green farewell coordinated by people who live and work in the area, Farrington is the natural first call.
Address: 1505 9th St #306, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: +1 800-674-3659
Website: farringtonmortuary.com
Why Los Angeles families choose Farrington first
Local knowledge, three decades of experience, transparent pricing, and a full menu of green options under one roof make Farrington the most complete choice on this list for the LA area. Because the same team can coordinate green burial, terramation, burial at sea, or cremation, families are not forced to piece together several vendors while grieving.
2. Joshua Tree Memorial Park
Located in the high desert east of Los Angeles, Joshua Tree Memorial Park maintains a natural burial area for families who want an unembalmed, biodegradable burial in a quiet desert setting. Natural burial sections like this one typically prohibit vaults and synthetic caskets and use flat, natural markers instead of upright headstones. For Los Angeles families willing to travel out of the city for a serene landscape, it is a well-known regional option for green burial in Southern California.
3. Recompose
Recompose, based in Seattle, was the first company in the United States licensed to offer human composting. Families across the country, including in California, can arrange terramation through Recompose, which coordinates transport and returns the resulting soil. Recompose is widely credited with helping bring natural organic reduction into the mainstream and with advancing legalization in states such as California. It is a strong option for Los Angeles families who specifically want composting rather than in-ground burial.
4. Earth Funeral
Earth Funeral is a terramation provider operating in the Pacific Northwest that serves California families remotely. The company transforms the body into soil through natural organic reduction and offers to return a portion of that soil to the family while conserving the remainder on protected land. Its pricing is published openly, which appeals to Los Angeles families who want clarity before committing and a clear sense of the environmental benefit.
5. Return Home
Return Home, located in Washington State, focuses exclusively on terramation and uses that term for its human composting service. The company is known for a transparent, visitor-friendly process and for keeping families connected throughout the weeks of transformation. Californians can use Return Home by arranging transport, then receive the finished soil afterward to place in a garden or memorial spot of their choosing.
6. Fernwood
Fernwood, in Mill Valley in Northern California, is one of the state's best-known green and hybrid burial grounds. Set within a nature preserve, it offers natural burials without vaults or embalming alongside more conventional options. While it is a long drive from Los Angeles, some families choose it for its established conservation setting and its long track record with natural burial in California.
7. Better Place Forests
Better Place Forests operates conservation memorial forests in California where families can memorialize cremated remains among protected trees rather than in a traditional cemetery plot. It is not a green burial in the strict sense, since it involves cremation, but it appeals to Los Angeles families who want a living, natural memorial and permanent land protection. Many families pair cremation from a local provider with a memorial tree here.
8. Herland Forest
Herland Forest is a nonprofit natural cemetery in Washington that offers both natural burial and human composting. As a conservation-minded operation, it emphasizes low-impact practices and returning the body to the ecosystem. California families researching terramation and natural burial often include Herland Forest in their comparisons for its mission-driven, land-stewardship approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between green burial and human composting?
Green burial places an unembalmed body in a biodegradable container directly into the earth, while human composting transforms the body into soil inside a controlled vessel over several weeks. Both avoid embalming chemicals and both return the body to nature, but composting produces usable soil that families can take home.
Is green burial legal in Los Angeles?
Yes. Green burial is legal throughout California, including Los Angeles County. Many families arrange it through a local funeral home such as Farrington Mortuary, which coordinates the biodegradable casket or shroud and a cemetery that permits natural burial.
When will human composting be available in California?
California's AB 351 legalized human composting in 2022, and the law takes effect on January 1, 2027. Until in-state facilities are licensed, Los Angeles families can choose terramation now through out-of-state providers that arrange transport and return the soil.
How much does green burial cost in Los Angeles?
Green burial is often less expensive than a conventional burial because it skips embalming, a metal casket, and a concrete vault. Actual costs vary by cemetery and the services chosen. Farrington Mortuary provides transparent, itemized pricing so families know what they are paying for before deciding.
What is a biodegradable casket?
A biodegradable casket is a burial container made from natural materials such as untreated wood, wicker, bamboo, or heavy paper that break down completely in the soil. These containers contain no metal, plastic, or toxic finishes, which is what makes them suitable for green burial.
Can I pre-plan a green burial or terramation?
Yes. Pre-planning lets you record your wishes, lock in your choices, and spare your family difficult decisions later. Farrington Mortuary offers pre-planning for green burial, terramation, burial at sea, and cremation, all with the same no-pressure approach.
Conclusion
Choosing how to return to the earth is deeply personal, and Los Angeles families now have more natural, eco-conscious options than ever, from green burial to human composting. The eight providers above each bring something worthwhile, but for local families who want experience, honesty, and every green option under one roof, Farrington Mortuary & Cremation stands out. With more than 30 years serving Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Orange County, transparent pricing, and 24/7 availability, the team is ready to answer your questions without pressure. Call Farrington Mortuary & Cremation today at +1 800-674-3659 to talk through green burial, terramation, or pre-planning, and take the first step toward a farewell that reflects your values.
