Everything you need to know about body composting, aka natural organic reduction (NOR), is the topic of the inaugural Body Composting Conference: Rejoining the Cycle of Life Through Natural Organic Reduction. Being organized by The Natural Funeral, the conference is bringing together visionaries, innovators and movement makers in the death positive field for two days of networking, connection and education.
Mark your calendar and make your travel plans to Denver for the conference March 16-17, 2023. It's right before the Frozen Dead Guy Days festival in Estes Park, Colorado March 17-19. Come for the conference, stick around for this wild and wacky celebration of all things dead and frozen!
Participating speakers include NOR pioneer Katrina Spade; Caitlin Doughty, bestselling author, funeral industry disruptor, and "Ask a Mortician" YouTube star; and Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death®. The full schedule of events and speakers follows.
The conference will take place in downtown Denver at the Sonesta Hotel, 1450 Glenarm Place, Denver, Colorado. The Sonesta Hotel is an eco-friendly property, with an emphasis on energy reduction and efficiency. Easily accessible by public transportation, hotel rooms and parking are available at a special discounted rate. To reserve a hotel room from the conference room block at the Sonesta Hotel in Denver, click here.
Can't visit Colorado? Attend this conference virtually and still learn and connect with the growing community of folks engaged in this work. Save your spot at the virtual conference
by purchasing your ticket.
No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
In-person tickets are $250 for general admission, $200 for seniors, and $150 for students. Remote access tickets are $175 to live stream the event and access the recording for 90 days following the event. Special tickets where you can name the price that you are able to pay to attend in-person or virtually are also available.
Conference Speakers
The growing list of confirmed presenters includes:
- Caitlin Doughty of The Order of the Good Death, beloved industry changemaker
- Katrina Spade of Recompose, renowned NOR pioneer
- Seth Viddal, Daniel Ziskin, PhD, and David Heckel of The Natural Funeral
- Lauren Carroll and Erin Merelli of The Deathwives
- Lynne Carpenter-Boggs, PhD of Washington State University, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
- Gail Rubin of A Good Goodbye, The Doyenne of Death®
- Micah Truman and Katey Houston of Return Home
- Tom Harries and Haley Morris of Earth Funeral
- Emily Miller of Colorado Burial Preserve & Cremation Garden
- Eric Rooney of Half Moon Farm and ReGeneration Earth
- Elliot Rasenick of Bells Mountain
- Susan Nemcek of Willow Farm Contemplative Center
- Nicole Matarazzo of End of Life Pathways
- Ben Martin of Essential Ceremonies
And a panel of clients who have chosen NOR for their loved ones will also share their experiences.
The Body Composting Conference Schedule of Events
Thursday, March 16 - Conference Day 1
0900 – 0915 Welcome by Seth Viddal
0915 – 1015 Intro to NOR by Katrina Spade
1045 – 1145 Panel of NOR operators
1315 – 1400 Environmental impact of NOR by Dan Ziskin
1400 – 1430 The science of NOR by Dr. Lynne Carpenter-Boggs
1500 – 1600 Natural death care techniques by The Deathwives, Katey Houston, and Ray Green
1600 – 1645 Laying In demonstration by Nicole Matarazzo
1645 – 1700 Closing remarks
Thursday, March 16 – Special Event
1900 – 2100 In conversation with Caitlin Doughty, including her induction into The Natural Funeral Hall of Fame
Friday, March 17 - Conference Day 2
0900 – 1000 NOR terminology and messaging by Micah Truman
1030 – 1130 Advance planning for NOR by Gail Rubin and David Heckel
1300 – 1400 Panel of families who have chosen NOR
1400 – 1445 Panel of funeral homes offering NOR by Feldman Mortuary and The Natural Funeral
1515 – 1615 Land Stewardship Panel by Eric Rooney, Emily Miller, Elliot Rasenick, and Susan Nemcek
1615 – 1645 Laying Out demonstration by Ben Martin
1645 – 1700 Closing remarks and call to action
Purchase your ticket today for the Body Composting Conference here!
Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die.
Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.
Known as The Doyenne of Death®, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival and author of a guide to holding such festivals. Her podcast is also called The Doyenne of Death®. She produces videos about the funeral business and related topics. Her YouTube Channel features more than 600 videos!
Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.
Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV, and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV. Albuquerque Business First named her as one of their 2019 Women of Influence.
Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.