When someone dies, many think of the two most common options for the deceased person’s body: burial and cremation.

But for those who want to do something eco-friendly, such as human composting, or unique, such as blasting their remains into orbit, more options are becoming available and legal.

And more common: The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) found in 2021 that 60.5% of its respondents said they’re interested in exploring green funeral options because of their potential environmental benefits. A typical cremation can take 30 to 120 minutes, emitting carbon dioxide into the air the whole time. Traditional burial has its own environmental impacts, including contaminating soil with the chemicals used on the body (formaldehyde and other preservatives).

In California, the median cost of an adult funeral that includes a viewing, ceremony and burial is $7,225, according to NFDA. The median cost for cremation services is $6,028.

Here’s a rundown of several nontraditional, green or unique options:

Human composting

In Colorado, a legal alternative to traditional burial and cremation is natural organic reduction, otherwise known as human composting. It involves remains naturally decomposing over a 30- to 45day period after the body is placed in a steel vessel and covered with biodegradable materials.

Recompose, which offers natural organic reduction in the state of Washington, said through its process it uses 87% less energy than traditional burial or cremation — you’ll save one metric ton of carbon from entering the environment, which is equivalent to the CO2 emissions of driving 2,421 miles. It offers its services for $7,000.

Cremation by water

Alkaline hydrolysis, also known as water cremation, is a natural method of decomposition that uses water to cremate the body. This process uses water, alkaline chemicals, heat and sometimes pressure and agitation to accelerate natural decomposition, according to the Cremation Assn. of North America. The end result is bone fragments and a liquid called effluent. Effluent is sterile, meaning no DNA or tissue remains, and the liquid can be released down a drain.

Several funeral homes offer the service, including Pisces in California. Christopher Taktak, Pisces’ chief executive, said a solution that is mostly warm water takes about four hours to leave behind bone material that people will inter or take home.

Taktak said his company’s

process doesn’t release harmful emissions and uses 90% less energy than flame cremation. Pisces’ services cost $3,850.

Tree burial

Reducing your carbon footprint beyond your time on Earth could mean planting a tree with your remains. Across California, funeral homes and cemeteries offer memorial trees where cremains are mixed with soil used to grow a tree on the cemetery grounds.

You can be a permanent part of a tree’s life in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Forever’s Ancestral Forest Project. Hollywood Forever allows cremains to be planted with the roots of a new tree or adjacent to an existing tree of your choice. With its Heritage Program, you may have your cremated remains placed in a space adjacent to an existing mature tree starting at $6,600 — a portion of your fund will be placed into an endowment trust to ensure long-term care and maintenance of your living memorial.

Space ‘burial’

Not all of us can become astronauts, but your cremains can. Human ashes cannot be scattered in space, though; the remains must be in a container.

Celestis, a Texas-based company, first launched human ashes into space in 1997.

One option the company offers is the “Earth rise service,” which launches flight capsules containing cremated remains and DNA samples to outer space — about 62 miles above Earth — for $2,995.

Burial at sea

Honoring a surfer or an avid boater could mean scattering their ashes at sea. There’s also the option of a fullbody burial or giving back to the ocean ecosystem by using cremains to make a reef ball.

Los Angeles Yacht Charter offers various sea vessels for scattering ashes at least 3 nautical miles off the coast. Prices for the service depend on the departure location and guest count: For example, a 50-foot yacht that holds 12 guests and departs from Marina Del Rey costs $795

If you’re looking for a full-body burial service, Burial at Sea Southern California Coast offers burials with biodegradable caskets that break down in the ocean within three to six months. The cost of this service depends on the number of people viewing the service and departure point. For example, if the boat is departing from San Pedro with 12 guests, it’s estimated to be $775.

If you want your body to be a part of coral reef restoration, your family can use your cremains as part of a reef ball. Memorial service companies partner with the foundation to mix cremains with a specific concrete. Ashes on the Sea in San Diego area offers the reef ball, also known as a living reef memorial. Its prices range from $600 to $4,000.

Memorialized in a diamond

Keeping a loved one close doesn’t have to be limited to an urn. Instead, their cremains can be turned into a family heirloom: a memorial diamond. This type of diamond is artificially created with the carbon extracted from cremains.

Los Angeles-based Heart in Diamond turns cremation ashes or human or pet hair into a diamond. The company’s process extracts carbon from cremated ashes by applying high pressure and high temperature. Then it places a tiny diamond “seed” and the pure carbon into a growth chamber to form the diamond. The rough diamond is then cut and polished to your specifications.

Prices vary: A white, 1-carat diamond costs $17,295; a blue half-carat diamond costs $5,395. The price does not include additional services such as engravings or Gemological Institute of America certifications.