Why I Picked a Green Goodbye
(AKA: My Grand Finale as a Science Project)
I’ve always liked the idea that our last act on this planet can say something about who we were. Some folks choose fancy flowers, soaring music, or a very specific type of ceremony. Me? I thought, why not go a little greener… and maybe teach a few future doctors a thing or two while I’m at it?
So I’ve decided to donate my body to Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Their anatomical donation program just felt like the right fit—kind of like that perfect pair of shoes you didn’t expect to love.
If you’re curious, here’s where I’m headed:
If you’re curious, here’s where I’m headed:
The logic is simple: once I’m done using this body, someone else should get a turn. Medical students will learn from it, and that feels like a pretty great parting lesson—“Share your toys,” but, you know… a bit more advanced.
But the adventure doesn’t stop there! After class lets out and the students graduate from Anatomy 101 Featuring Me, my remains will head to a department that studies natural decomposition. Yep. Even after I’m gone, I’ll be helping scientists understand how bodies return to the earth. I like to think of it as becoming one with nature… but with a scholarly twist.
Honestly?
It’s comforting.
It’s natural.
It’s comforting.
It’s natural.
And I have to admit, it feels a bit like leaning down to whisper to the planet, “Thanks for the ride—hope I left the place a little better than I found it.”
I’m sharing this because I want people to know: you really do have choices. Beautiful, meaningful, earth‑friendly choices. And if my decision inspires someone else to explore their options… well, that’s a legacy that makes me smile.
Marc D Malamud
Transitioning Doula
