So it's not eradicating these practices or looking down on them in any way,

it's trying to educate people about their choices to find what's most meaningful

and affordable and relevant for them.

There is a real line between funeral homes doing the best they can

versus what could actually end up being greenwashing.

Welcome to Death in the Afternoon, the podcast from your favorite funeral reform nerds

at the Order of the Good Death. I am Caitlin Dodie, Founder of the Order,

and today, who is back? But Sarah Chavez, our Executive Director,

Hi Sarah. Hi. Now I'm going to talk about you like you're not here with me.

Sarah has been working all of 2022 on a year-long immersive project.

Essentially, she spent a year every day documenting death and funeral related news,

compiling it into one large project, a timeline of a year in death.

And today, though, it was almost an impossible choice. We attempted to pick what we feel are

perhaps some of the most impactful, strange, interesting stories throughout the year.

So, Sarah, let's hear it directly from you. What were your intentions with this project?

The whole year-and-death project was completely inspired by journalist page

Skinner's Google Doc project, where she made this daily record of everything that happened in 21.

So, think everything from like passing a crucial infrastructure bill to the guerrilla flu, girl.

Oh, no. I forgot about her. Poor girl. I thought this was a really interesting way of not

just documenting this really weird time and history, but for someone like me who, prior to

working at the order, I was a historian of a historical and cultural landmark. I was a museum

curator and researcher. I like to analyze things and research and look for patterns and trends.

...