After spending 15 years working in the conventional funeral industry, John Christian Phifer is paving uncharted territory to help create Larkspur Conservation—the first natural burial ground of its kind in Tennessee. Motivated by the desire to conserve land as well as provide an alternative option for burial that allows for deeper connection to death as part of life, John Christian carries the weight of a calling he’s known since childhood.

Breakups are a “big” deal. Modern romantic relationships are viewed as convenient, but difficult to navigate. The disposability of someone is as painless as blocking their contact. If your ex-partner was the size of a doll, what are the ethics for turning them off?