The Green Goodbye

What if the way we say goodbye could nourish the earth and each other?

The Green Goodbye invites you to consider ways that life and death are woven together and discover gentler, more environmentally conscious methods of caring for our bodies after death. Together we’ll explore options including conservation burial, natural organic reduction (human composting), alkaline hydrolysis (water based cremation), and more along with a hands-on demonstration of how a loved one can be shrouded using simple, biodegradable materials.

Led by Lauren Richwine of Death Done Differently, one of the first death doulas to serve families in the Midwest, the workshop will also feature guest specialists sharing the unique ways they support individuals and families in navigating death, after death care, and grief. Lauren is a master’s level Thanatology student, sought after public speaker, Advance Care Planning consultant, and mortality mentor through The Mortal Clay Mentorship.

Our hope is to bring light, curiosity, and open conversation to subjects we often avoid. Some moments may be tender or heavy, but this gathering is also a celebration of our connection to the natural world, of the choices available to us, and of the many ways our bodies can still return to the earth.

The Green Goodbye will be hosted by Discover Yoga, a community-centered space dedicated to helping people feel seen, supported, and welcomed exactly as they are.