When I die, recompose me | Katrina Spade

翻译人员: Danyang Luo 校对人员: Jack Zhang

My name is Katrina Spade, and I grew up in a medical family

我是卡缇娜·丝蓓，出生于医学世家

where it was fairly normal to talk about death and dying at the dinner table.

在我家的餐桌上谈论死亡不足为奇

But I didn't go into medicine like so many of my family members.

但不像我的家人们，我没有选择从医

Instead, I went to architecture school to learn how to design.

我去到了建筑学院学习设计

And while I was there, I began to be curious

在那儿，我开始感到好奇

about what would happen to my physical body after I died.

我逝世后，我的遗体会经受什么

What would my nearest and dearest do with me?

我的亲朋们会如何对待我的遗体

So if the existence and the fact of your own mortality

如果你终将死亡的既定事实

doesn't get you down,

不会击溃你

the state of our current funerary practices will.

现今的葬礼习俗将会使你失望

Today, almost 50 percent of Americans choose conventional burial.

现在，有将近50%的美国人会选择常规埋葬

Conventional burial begins with embalming,

传统的埋葬要先防腐

where funeral staff drain bodily fluid

殡葬人员会先排尽体液

and replace it with a mixture designed to preserve the corpse

将其替换为可以保存尸体的混合物

and give it a lifelike glow.

让尸体栩栩如生

Then, as you know, bodies are buried in a casket

然后，如你所知，尸体会被放进棺材里

in a concrete-lined grave

埋在墓园里混凝土浇筑的墓穴中

in a cemetery.

All told, in US cemeteries,

总而言之，在美国墓园里

we bury enough metal to build a Golden Gate Bridge,

我们埋了足够修建一座金门大桥的金属

enough wood to build 1,800 single family homes,

足够建造1800个独栋住宅的木材

and enough formaldehyde-laden embalming fluid

足够多的甲醛防腐液

to fill eight Olympic-size swimming pools.

足以填满8个奥运会泳池

In addition, cemeteries all over the world are reaching capacity.

除此之外，全球的墓地都接近饱和

Turns out, it doesn't really make good business sense

事实证明，卖别人一块永生之地

to sell someone a piece of land for eternity.

并非好的生财之道

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Whose idea was that?

这是谁的主意？

In some places, you can't buy a plot no matter how much money you have.

在某些地方，无论你有多少钱都不能买到一块墓地

As a result, cremation rates have risen fast.

因此，越来越多人选择了火葬

In 1950, if you suggested your grandmother be incinerated after she died,

在20世纪50年代，如果你建议祖母死后火葬

you'd probably be kicked from the family deathbed.

你极可能被赶出家门

But today, almost half of Americans choose cremation,

但现在，有约一半的美国人会选择火葬

citing simpler,

因为它更为简便

cheaper

便宜

and more ecological as reasons.

有利于生态平衡

I used to think that cremation was a sustainable form of disposition,

我曾认为火葬是符合可持续发展的殡葬方式

but just think about it for a second.

但经过深思熟虑

Cremation destroys the potential we have

其实火葬破坏了我们死后回馈地球的可能性

to give back to the earth after we've died.

It uses an energy-intensive process to turn bodies into ash,

它消耗大量能源将我们化为灰土

polluting the air and contributing to climate change.

污染了空气，也加剧了气候的变化

All told, cremations in the US

总而言之，美国每年火葬

emit a staggering 600 million pounds of carbon dioxide

会排放高达6亿磅的二氧化碳

into the atmosphere annually.

The truly awful truth

真正可怕的是

is that the very last thing that most of us will do on this earth

我们大多数人在地球上所做的最后一件事

is poison it.

是毒害地球

It's like we've created, accepted and death-denied our way into a status quo

这像是我们创造，接受，拼死否认

that puts as much distance between ourselves and nature

我们离间了自己与大自然的现状

as is humanly possible.

Our modern funerary practices are designed to stave off

我们设计现有的殡葬方式来避免

the natural processes that happen to a body after death.

死后尸体的自然腐化

In other words, they're meant to prevent us from decomposing.

换句话说，这阻止了我们的分解

But the truth

但事实是

is that nature is really, really good at death.

大自然真的很擅长处理遗体

We've all seen it.

我们都清楚

When organic material dies in nature,

当有机体自然死亡后

microbes and bacteria break it down into nutrient-rich soil,

微生物和细菌会将其分解为营养丰富的土壤

completing the life cycle.

完成生命循环

In nature, death creates life.

在自然界中，死亡成就了生命

Back in architecture school, I was thinking about all this,

回到建筑学院，我思来想去

and I set out on a plan to redesign death care.

计划重新设定殡葬方式

Could I create a system

我能否重建一个系统

that was beneficial to the earth

一个对地球有益

and that used nature as a guide rather than something to be feared?

向自然界学习而不是畏惧它

Something that was gentle to the planet?

对世界温柔以待的系统？

That planet, after all, supports our living bodies

毕竟，这颗行星维持着我们的身体

our whole lives.

我们的生命

And while I was mulling this all over

当我在画板上自由思索这些时，

over the drawing board,

the phone rang.

电话响了

It was my friend Kate.

是我的朋友凯特打来的

She was like, "Hey, have you heard about the farmers

她说，“你听说过农民们会把整头牛做为堆肥吗？”

who are composting whole cows?"

And I was like, "Mmmm."

我的反应是，“嗯......”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Turns out that farmers in agricultural institutions

事实证明，农业机构的农民们

have been practicing something called livestock mortality composting

几十年来一直在践行死亡畜禽尸体堆肥

for decades.

Mortality composting is where you take an animal high in nitrogen

死亡堆肥是把含氮量高的动物尸体

and cover it with co-composting materials that are high in carbon.

用含碳量高的堆肥材料覆盖

It's an aerobic process, so it requires oxygen,

这是个有氧分解的过程，需要氧气参与

and it requires plenty of moisture as well.

也需要足够的水分

In the most basic setup, a cow is covered with a few feet of wood chips,

最基本的做法的是，用含碳量高的木屑覆盖奶牛

which are high in carbon,

and left outside for nature, for breezes to provide oxygen

放在户外，微风会带来氧气

and rain to provide moisture.

雨露会提供水分

In about nine months,

大约九个月后

all that remains is a nutrient-rich compost.

留下的是营养丰富的堆肥

The flesh has been decomposed entirely,

肉体已完全被分解

as have the bones.

骸骨也是一样

I know.

我们都知道

(Laughter)

（笑声）

So I would definitely call myself a decomposition nerd,

我自称为研究分解的书呆子

but I am far, far from a scientist,

但我远不及科学家

and one way you can tell this is true

这显而易见

is that I have often called the process of composting "magic."

我总是视堆肥的过程为“魔术”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

So basically, all we humans need to do

总的来说，我们需要做的是

is create the right environment for nature to do its job.

为自然界的分解创造合适的环境条件

It's like the opposite of antibacterial soap.

和抗菌皂相反

Instead of fighting them,

不是消灭细菌

we welcome microbes and bacteria in with open arms.

我们张开双臂，欢迎微生物和细菌

These tiny, amazing creatures

这些小而神奇的生物

break down molecules into smaller molecules and atoms,

将分子分解为更小的原子

which are then incorporated into new molecules.

而后又合成新的分子

In other words, that cow is transformed.

换句话说，牛被重塑了

It's no longer a cow.

它不再是一头牛

It's been cycled back into nature.

它循环回到了大自然中

See? Magic.

看到了吧？这就是魔术

You can probably imagine the light bulb that went off in my head

或许你可以感受到我脑中的灵光一现

after I received that phone call.

在我接到电话后

I began designing a system

我开始设计一个系统

based on the principles of livestock mortality composting

基于死亡畜禽尸体堆肥的原理

that would take human beings and transform them into soil.

能将人类化为土壤的系统

Fast-forward five years

五年后

and the project has grown in ways I truly never could have imagined.

这一项目的发展超乎我的想象

We've created a scalable, replicable non-profit urban model

我们创建了一个可扩展的 可复制的非营利性城市模式

based on the science of livestock mortality composting

基于死亡畜禽尸体堆肥的科学原理

that turns human beings into soil.

能将人类化为土壤的模式

We've partnered and collaborated with experts in soil science,

我们和土壤科学、

decomposition, alternative death care,

分解、替代性死亡护理、

law and architecture.

法律、建筑行业的专家们合作

We've raised funds from foundations and individuals

我们从基金会及个人那儿筹集资金

in order to design a prototype of this system,

来建立系统的雏形

and we've heard from tens of thousands of people all over the world

我们听到了全球成千上万人们的呼吁

who want this option to be available.

想要这一方式生效

OK.

好吧

In the next few years,

在未来的几年里

it's our goal to build the first full-scale human composting facility

我们的目标是在西雅图建立

right in the city of Seattle.

第一个全面的人类堆肥设施

(Applause)

（掌声）

Imagine it,

想象一下

part public park,

一个集合了公园

part funeral home,

殡仪馆

part memorial to the people we love,

纪念逝去亲人为一体的地方

a place where we can reconnect with the cycles of nature

在这儿我们可以与大自然的循环重新连接

and treat bodies with gentleness and respect.

温柔并充满敬意地对待遗体

The infrastructure is simple.

基础设施很简单

Inside a vertical core,

在垂直的主设施里

bodies and wood chips undergo accelerated natural decomposition,

遗体和木屑经过加速后的自然分解

or composting,

或是堆肥

and are transformed into soil.

转化为土壤

When someone dies, their body is taken to a human composting facility.

人们逝世后，遗体会被运往遗体堆肥设施

After wrapping the deceased in a simple shroud,

用简单的裹尸布包裹后

friends and family carry the body to the top of the core,

亲友会将遗体送去

which contains the natural decomposition system.

自然分解设施的顶部

During a laying in ceremony,

举行仪式时

they gently place the body into the core

遗体被送入主设施

and cover it with wood chips.

并被木屑掩埋

This begins the gentle transformation from human to soil.

遗体开始缓慢转变为土壤

Over the next few weeks, the body decomposes naturally.

在接来下的几周时间里，遗体自然分解

Microbes and bacteria break down carbon, then protein,

微生物和细菌分解碳，蛋白质

to create a new substance,

创造新的物质——

a rich, earthy soil.

肥沃的土壤

This soil can then be used to grow new life.

这样的土壤可以孕育新的生命

Eventually, you could be a lemon tree.

最终，你可能成了一颗柠檬树

(Applause)

（掌声）

Yeah, thank you.

谢谢你们

(Applause)

（掌声）

Who's thinking about lemon meringue pie right now?

此刻，有人在想柠檬塔吗？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

A lemon drop?

柠檬糖？

Something stronger?

或是更棒的东西？

So in addition to housing the core,

所以，除了主设施外

these buildings will function to support the grieving

这一建筑也能安抚悲痛

by providing space for memorial services and end-of-life planning.

通过提供纪念服务和临终计划的场所

The potential for repurposing is huge.

这有着巨大的再利用潜力

Old churches and industrial warehouses can be converted into places

旧教堂和工业仓库会被改建为

where we create soil and honor life.

生产土壤和尊敬生命的地方

We want to bring back the aspect of ritual

回到仪式方面

that's been diluted over the past hundred years

随着火葬率的上升

as cremation rates have risen

宗教信仰的衰弱

and religious affiliation has declined.

在过去的几百年里，仪式被时间冲谈

Our Seattle facility will function as a model for these places

西雅图的这一设施会成为全球的榜样

all over the world.

We've heard from communities in South Africa, Australia,

南非、澳大利亚、

the UK, Canada and beyond.

英国、加拿大和其它各地的社区都有联系我们

We're creating a design toolkit

我们正在设计一款可以

that will help others design and build facilities

帮助他人设计并修建设施的工具包

that will contain technical specifications

其中包含技术规范

and regulatory best practices.

和最佳监管方式

We want to help individuals, organizations,

我们想帮助个体、组织

and down the road, municipalities

更近一步，帮助政府当局

design and build facilities in their own cities.

设计并修建他们自己的设施。

The idea is that every one of these places should look and feel completely different

我们认为，每一个地方的外观和感觉都应完全不同

with the same system inside.

系统却是一致的

They're really meant to be designed for the neighborhood in which they reside

这意味着为居住的环境

and the community which they serve.

及服务的社区进行设计

The other idea is for supportive staff to be on hand

另一个想法是支持员工及时

to help families with the care and preparation of loved ones' bodies.

帮助家人处理遗体

We're banishing practices that bewilder and disempower

我们拒绝迷茫、无助的想法

and creating a system that is beautiful and meaningful

创建一个美丽、充满意义的

and transparent.

公开透明的系统

We believe that access to ecological death care

我们相信人人都有权利选择生态死亡护理

is a human right.

这是天赋人权

OK, so you know the old saying,

古语有云

if you can compost a cow, you can compost a human?

如果牛可以堆肥，人也可以

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Turns out, it's true.

事实证明，这是真理

Since 2014, we've been running a pilot project

直至2014年，我们已同 西卡罗来纳州大学法医人类学系合作

in the hills of North Carolina

在北卡罗莱纳的小山上

with the Forensic Anthropology Department at Western Carolina University.

试点运行

Six donor bodies have been covered in wood chips,

六具捐献遗体被埋在木屑下

oxygen provided by breezes,

由微风供氧

microbes and bacteria doing their jobs.

微生物和细菌进行分解

This pilot program has allowed us to demonstrate that it's possible

试点让我们证明了这是可行的

to harness the incredible power of natural decomposition

我们可以借助自然分解不可思议的力量

to turn human bodies into soil,

将人体化为土壤

and we're working with other universities as well.

我们也和其它大学达成了合作

Soil scientists at Washington State University,

华盛顿州立大学的土壤学家

the grad students, anyway,

及研究生们

are working to compost teeth with amalgam fillings

正在堆肥充满汞合金的牙齿

so that we can understand what happens to the mercury therein.

以便我们了解在这一过程中的汞会发生什么

Next up, we'll be beginning experiments

下一步，我们将继续试验

to determine what happens to chemo drugs and pharmaceuticals

明确化疗药物在堆肥中会发生什么变化

during the composting process,

and whether additional remediation will be needed.

是否需要额外的处置

By the way,

顺便一提

composting creates a great deal of heat,

堆肥会大量产热

especially this particular type of composting.

尤其是这种类型的堆肥

One week after we began composting our fifth donor body,

第五具捐献遗体分解一周后

the temperature inside that mound of wood chips

木屑内的温度

reached 158 degrees Fahrenheit.

达到了华氏158度

Imagine harnessing that heat to create energy

想象利用这种热能创造能量

or comfort the grieving on a cold day.

或是给寒冷的日子带来慰藉

The death care revolution has begun.

死亡护理革命已然拉开序幕

It's an exciting time to be alive.

这是令生者振奋的时刻

Thank you.

谢谢你们

(Applause)

（掌声）