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This article was co-authored by David I. Jacobson and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. David I. Jacobson is the founder of Chicago Jewish Funerals, an independent Jewish owned funeral provider that evolved into two funeral homes in the Chicagoland area. With over 30 years of experience serving families, David is a leading expert on Kavod Hamet, the Jewish traditions of honoring and respecting the dead. David is an active funeral director that serves people planning and in need of funerals, lecturing to congregations, community groups, and schools extensively about the values of the Jewish funeral as well as the dying process and the value of one’s legacy.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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If you’re an environmentally conscious person, you may have heard of tree pod burials, or natural burials. This eco-friendly alternative to a traditional burial not only saves you money, but it’s great for the environment as well. If you’d like to learn more about being buried as a tree, read through this article for everything you’ll need to know, including locations, cost, and legality.
Things You Should Know
- With tree burials, a tree is planted alongside a buried pod full of your remains. Over time, the pod breaks down and provides nutrients for the tree to grow.
- A tree pod usually costs between $400 and $500, not including any funeral services.
- Tree burials are legal in the USA, and most states even allow you to have your burial take place on private property.
Steps
Where can I be buried as a tree?
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You can be buried as a tree on private property in most states. Home burials are legal in the majority of the United States, with the exception of Washington, California, and Indiana. In some states, you must work with a funeral director to have a home burial, but in others, you can simply request a home burial.[3] -
You can be buried as a tree in some cemeteries. While traditionally cemeteries only focused on funeral services with caskets and a headstone, more and more are opting for natural or biodegradable options. If you have a cemetery nearby, reach out to the director and ask if they do any natural burial services.[4]
Companies that Provide Tree Pod Burials
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The Living Urn The Living Urn sells biodegradable urns that you can purchase with or without a tree. Shaped like a large pot, the urns get buried directly into the ground, and you can either plant your own local tree or continue growing the one that came with your urn. -
Capsula Mundi Capsula Mundi is one of the most popular tree pod burial companies. Currently, they offer biodegradable urns that you can bury cremated remains in and then plant a tree on top of. They hope to get their egg-shaped biodegradable pods that hold whole human remains on the market soon.
Community Q&A
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QuestionIs the actual body in the pod or ashes?
Blokboy 780Community AnswerThe actual body is in a pod buried underneath the tree. The body may be ashes if it is cremated prior to the burial.
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"My sister and I are elderly, 68 and 72 years old. We do not want to burden our sons to pay for expensive funerals. This article helped us make the decision due to low cost and environmental benefits. Thank you."..." more
