h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Akin to alkaline hydrolysis, promession is another option. Developed by a Swedish biologist, Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak, this basically consists of being freeze dried with liquid nitrogen then having your brittle corpsicle vibrated down to nutrient rich dust (and maybe a few leftover pieces of metal).

There is also sky burials. This is a Tibetan Buddhist method that entails basically a bit of ritual slicing and being left on a mountaintop to feed the birds. You can see examples if you google it.

Me personally, I'm planning something just a bit simpler if I can get the logistics and legalities worked out. In the 1980 film, Foxes, with Jody Foster and Scott Baio, they discuss a recently deceased friend, Annie (Cherie Currie). Jodie Foster's character recalls this story:

"Back in the heavy stoned days, when we used to stay up and talk a lot, Annie and me, we were talking about dying, how it feels and all. I said I'd never get buried. I couldn't stand them shoveling dirt in my face. Like, I know I'd be dead, but I still might have this strong compulsion to breathe, okay? But Annie, she said she wanted to be buried right in the ground under a pear tree. Really. Not in a box or anything. She said she wanted the roots going right through her, and each year, we'd come along, take a pear, and go "Hey, Annie's tasting good this year, huh?""



That's sounds good enough for me.

Anyway, thanks for an excellent guide entry. We need more like this.