Happy Monday in New York City, where more and more people want their remains to return to the Earth after they’re gone — and Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery is obliging.
The 200-year-old cemetery will soon offer a service that sustainably converts human remains into nutrient-rich soil via specialized, humidity-controlled caskets that rock back and forth to facilitate decomposition. The composting process, known as “terramation,” takes 40 days and yields 200 gallons of soil that can then be redistributed around the cemetery grounds or even used to plant a tree.
The practice was legalized in New York in 2022, but very few areas actually perform terramation. Green-Wood plans to begin offering it in 2027.
“People are very, very interested in making sure that they have sustainable ways to remember their family,” Meera Joshi, President of Green-Wood Cemetery, told CBS News. “But especially in New York City, where density and real estate are real issues and commodities.”
Conventional burials and cremation both create environmental pollution, but composting is an emission-free, environmentally-friendly alternative. “It’s basically the same process as when a tree falls in the woods and slowly becomes earth over time,” Joshi told Gothamist.
Returning to basics in Brooklyn — dust to dust really does mean turning oneself into custom, eco-friendly, community-based soil.
Heat complaints spiked to record levels in January as New Yorkers reported widespread outages during the prolonged cold snap. City data shows roughly 80,000 calls to 311 for lack of heat and hot water.
The City Council will pursue changes to make the city’s outdoor dining program year-round and cut red tape for restaurants. Speaker Julie Menin vowed to finally fix the on-again-off-again program.
New York City nurses reached a deal to end their nearly month-long strike at two major hospitals, but the walkout continues at another.
Workers at New York City’s 10 unionized Starbucks stores ended their three-month-long strike without coming to an agreement with the company.
The Brooklyn Democratic Party re-extended its support to Gov. Kathy Hochul in her reelection bid, two days after an apparent falling-out over Hochul’s running-mate pick led the group to pull its endorsement.
Mayor Mamdani’s new deputy mayor for housing offered an outline of the affordability agenda that will define Mamdani’s legacy.
A foreclosure auction of a five-bedroom Windsor Terrace home resulted in the home’s final sale price of $100, highlighting possible bank misconduct.
The Staples on Fifth Ave. in Bay Ridge could be replaced with an 11-story mixed-use development under a rezoning application filed this week.
Our World In Photos
Photo: Charlie Riedel/AP
CALIFORNIA — It takes a village — this halftime show required quick heavy-lifting to create sugar cane fields onto a 50-yard line: Bad Bunny performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif.
For more pictures like this, see Our World in Photos.
In partnership with
Men, Say Goodbye to Eyebags, Dark Spots & Wrinkles
Reduce eyebags, dark spots and wrinkles with the first of its kind anti-aging solution for men.
Based on advanced dermatological research, Particle Face Cream helps keep your skin healthy and youthful, ensuring you look and feel your best every day.
Get 20% off and free shipping now with the exclusive promo code BH20!
Groundbreaking and history-making: Brooklyn Public Library begins work on new Canarsie Library
Shovels at the ready before the historic groundbreaking. Photo: Loretta Chin/Brooklyn Eagle
After years of planning and community engagement, a large crowd wearing white hard hats and fluorescent vests assembled excitedly at 1580 Rockaway Parkway on Friday to break ground for a new state-of-the-art library in Canarsie.
“We begin a new chapter for Canarsie Library as we begin to build a beautiful, large, new branch,” Brooklyn Public Library President and CEO Linda Johnson said in her opening remarks.
The Mini
2
Our solver finished in 1 minute 25 seconds. Can you beat it?
Cartoon Sketchbook
By Milt Priggee
For the Road
Shutter Shock: It’s the end of an era for a Bay Ridge comic shop. Galaxy Comics at 6823 Fifth Ave. will permanently close on March 1. Read the whole story here.
Happy Birthday to “Sinners” star Michael B. Jordan!
On This Day in 1896, the Eagle reported: “The Southern railroad people announce that from February 14 to February 17 they will sell round trip tickets between Washington and New Orleans for $27.50 for the Mardi Gras carnival.”
Got a tip? Send it in to [email protected].