“Things will go as they will; and there is no need to hurry to meet them.”
You’ve done the math and you’ve come to the conclusion that you don’t want a traditional funeral. It’s understandable. Traditional burials can be mad expensive. Plus, they can take a heavy toll on the environment, giving nothing back to the soil except leaking chemicals. So you’re interested in another, greener option.
Enter tree pod burials. Think of it like a coffee pod, but instead of a coffee-machine, it goes into the ground and instead of coffee grounds, it’s full of your…well, you. So what goes into a burial in a tree pod? And how much does it cost? We’re gonna go out on a limb…and get to the root of everything (the puns only get worse from here, I will not apologize).
We won’t do the whole recap, but it’s safe to say that traditional burials come with a lot of issues, both for the environment and your wallet. From the chemicals that leak into the ground, to the amount of wood and metal used, to even the issue of land-use, old-school casket burials take from the ground more than they give.
Because of this, more people in recent years have explored various green burial options that are both respectful to families and the earth. While there’s various options, tree pods have seen a surge in interest and for good reason.
Burial in a tree pod is a possible solution to the above problems, while also being eco-friendly overall. But what goes into it all? (other than you, of course). The process is pretty simple.
Your body or ashes are placed inside of a pod or capsule of some kind. Inside that capsule is a seed or a sapling. As your remains decay, the pod converts that into nutrients which, in turn, feed the seed’s growth into a full tree.
Being buried in a tree pod comes with a good amount of benefits.
This all sounds great right? “What’s the catch?” you may be asking yourself. Well, not as much as you might think. Burial in a tree pod does come with a lot of benefits. There’s also some things to consider.
Right now commercially available biodegradable urns are on the market. Whole-body pods or capsules are currently being developed, but aren’t commercially available. Which means you still have to deal with the cost of cremating.
Tree growth is not an exact science. According to Science Daily, 18% of tree saplings die within the first year and 44% die within the first five years. However, that depends on the site and species. Also of note: home burials are legal in all states except Arkansas, California, Indiana, Louisiana, Washington state, and the District of Columbia. It’s important to do research on both the species you want, where the desire tree pod burial location will be and what local and state regulations you may be subject to.
At the end of the day, it comes down to what you think is right for you, your family and even the kind of legacy you want to “leaf” behind (get it?). “Branch-out” into a new sustainable and eco-friendly afterlife, a testament to the circle of life. You’d have to be a “sap” to not even think about it.
At Wyshbox, we’re all about granting the wyshes of the people who get left behind. Whether that’s seeing their family member become a magnificent tree, pay for a child’s future education or just get the mortgage paid, your Wyshbox policy can grow with you and your needs. Take a look at our free Wysh Builder tool—we promise you won’t get stumped.
