Atmos Magazine

Atmos Volume 10: Afterlife is here. In the natural world, nothing goes to waste. Matter constantly decomposes and reforms in new shapes, serving new purposes. We have much to learn from the cycle of nature in human societies, where we throw “away” our waste to some invisible ether, rather than accept reality: it remains. Our latest print issue is a meditation on waste, upcycling, composting, and rebirth. There are six limited edition covers to choose from. Click the link to get your copy today: https://shop.atmos.earth/

What lies beyond the grave? The rituals we create around death can help ground us in our impermanence and find rootedness in the now. Katrina Spade, founder of Recompose—a full-service funeral home dedicated to human composting—has seen this first hand. By ushering people’s loved ones back to the Earth in the form of compost, Spade reaffirms the cyclical nature of our being. Composting can be as spiritual as it is material. According to Zen Buddhist scholar and practitioner Stephanie Kaza, every moment is an opportunity to embrace the cycle and our own impermanence; with every breath cycle, we arise and pass away. For Kaza, “that’s where the opportunities for spiritual liberation and enlightenment are.” For Atmos Volume 10: Afterlife, Kaza and Spade sit down with Editor-in-Chief Willow Defebaugh to discuss what afterlife means to them. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e9XNvZQ7

All matter has an afterlife. For Atmos Volume 10: Afterlife, photographer Annie Lai and stylist Zipeng Li journey to Tibet—the land where heaven is closest to Earth—to capture the cycle of life and the rituals that exist around it. While Recompose founder Katrina Spade and Buddhist scholar Stephanie Kaza speak with Editor-in-Chief Willow Defebaugh about composting and reincarnation. 

Notes on Palestinian spectrality. For Atmos Volume 10: Afterlife, Palestinian-American poet George Abraham reflects on the layered erasure of Palestinian identity, memory, and existence through systemic violence, colonialism, settler capitalism, and digital filtering. Abraham intertwines personal and collective grief, contemplating the unquantifiable loss behind each life displaced or erased, while challenging the Western commodification of Palestinian voices and resistance. “We have failed all of Gaza,” they write. “‘How are we still in this?’ was the question we were asking ourselves months ago. This is the new regime of time; no, this is time itself.” Artwork by Sliman Mansour

All we want for Christmas is less waste. When it comes to gifting around the holidays, it’s tempting to buy something new—whether it’s the latest gaming technology or a trendy jacket. But buying new doesn't just impact our wallets, it can be harmful to the planet, too. The perfect gift might already be in your possession. With millions of gifts ending up in landfills each year, regifting is more than just a practical solution—it’s a sustainable choice that helps reduce waste and gives items a second chance to shine. For Atmos, Sophie Benson makes the simple case for regifting. Head to the link in our bio for the full story. Photographs by Estévez + Belloso Set Design by Cristina Ramos Atelier Set Design Assistant Anna Morell Social Design by Asta Thrastardottir

Climate progress isn’t linear, but it’s happening. While global CO2 emissions are set to reach a record high this year, 2024 also saw a tremendous outpouring of commitment from people trying to create a new world where those emissions fall. While it’s important to continue holding those responsible accountable for their actions, progress is also about celebrating the wins. This year’s victories are just one step on the path to restoring the planet, and they illustrate how change comes in waves. For Atmos, Editor-At-Large Yessenia Funes breaks down some of the big moments in climate progress from 2024.

Indigenous foods teach us to nourish ourselves and those we care for. Atmos columnist Ruth H. Burns explains how.

How did fashion become the business of excess? The fashion industry is estimated to generate over 101 million tonnes of waste every year, including textile scraps, microplastics, chemical waste, and packaging materials. It’s a number that’s likely to go up in the coming years as the rate at which we buy, wear, and discard our clothes speeds up. It’s also a number that shows just how instrumental throw-away culture is to the fashion system at every stage of the supply chain. For Atmos Volume 10: Afterlife, Culture Director Daphne Chouliaraki Milner breaks down how we got here. Read more below. https://lnkd.in/g-kQDKAE

Last week, our community came together in celebration of the release of Atmos Volume 10: Afterlife, and five years since the birth of the organization. The event brought together members of our BIOME, contributors, and friends surrounded by prints from our latest print issue and two captivating live performances from butoh dancer Norihito Ishii. A final toast came with a request from our Editor-In-Chief Willow Defebaugh: to allow death to be an invitation to get really good at living. To be a present participant in life, dedicated to the crucial work ahead, and open to connection and the wonders we are seeking to protect. Here are some of the highlights from the event. Click here to read more: https://lnkd.in/edzDfhPz

Holding onto wonder amid biodiversity loss. Today, 48% of the world’s species are declining. It’s thought that one million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction. Each species wiped off the map represents millennia of evolutionary processes, snuffed out far more quickly than they can be replaced. For humans, extinction should be a cause for alarm, if only out of self-interest. Our own existence is dependent on the rich tapestry of other forms of life on earth, from the plants that provide us with oxygen to the fungi that cycle nutrients to the insects that pollinate our food. For Atmos Volume 10: Afterlife, Print Editor Whitney B. sat down with  Pulitzer-winning author of The Sixth Extinction, Elizabeth Kolbert and Oscar-winning filmmaker of My Octopus Teacher, Craig Foster to discuss alarm and wonder amid the biodiversity crisis. Photographs by Stefan Dotter