Green funerals are catching on in a big way as an alternative to the chemical-laden processes way we’ve been presented with for decades. Many companies have offered natural pine caskets and even ones made of cardboard, but the SpiriTree is an all natural, carbon negative way to honor your loved ones with “a living, growing monument.”

Here’s the basic concept: you spread the ashes on the biodegradable bottom portion, place the ceramic top on top and place a seed or a small tree in the hole. You do all this where you want the tree to grow, of course. Once the piece is “planted” the tree will grow, the bottom of the unit will deteriorate allowing the roots access to the soil underneath. The ceramic top is built to break once the trunk outgrows the size of the hole.

The Spiritree is a beautiful piece and a great concept. The only downfall is though you’re planting a tree and you’re helping to offset your carbon footprint, the cremation process is energy intensive and spits out carbon and other chemicals too. That said, I’ve always said I wanted to be buried under a tree and now I think I know how.