From death sprouts the seed of life
Saying goodbye to a loved one is never easy, and traditionally, many cultures bury their loved ones in the ground as a way of giving the body back to the earth.
However, changes to this process over the centuries have created a system which is no longer sustainable.
The Biotree Urn, a South African first, entered the market in 2015. The urn gives loved ones of the deceased the opportunity to turn their ashes into a growing tree.
The Lowveld Crematorium and Funeral Services has been offering the Biotree Urn option for the past four years and has assisted five families in turning their ashes into trees.
The Biotree Urn addresses a critical issue with a logical solution that at its core celebrates life and gives families a
modern, environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to utilise after the loss of a loved one.
This urn combines all natural and biodegradable materials and the seed of a indigenous tree designed to be planted in the ground.
“This is a wonderful offering for families who would like to remember their loved ones by something special that won’t be harmful to the environment. Most of the time the families of the deceased choose this option, but in recent years people have become more aware of the Biotree Urn and specify that they would like to be cremated
and buried in an urn when the day comes,” said Magda Arnold, owner of Lowveld Crematorium and Funeral Services.
For humans, Biotree Urns cost around R3 450 each, with three different indigenous seeds: umbrella thorn, coral tree and tree wisteria. Other species can be arranged on request.
The Biotree Urn is also available for pets (around R2 950) and come with smaller flowering plants such as the river indigo, September bella and September bush. The tree of your loved one produces oxygen and traps carbon dioxide, neutralising the impact of making the urn, and giving back to the environment.
Each Biotree Urn wil produce about 117 kilograms of oxygen and remove about 21 kilograms of carbon dioxide annually.
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How it works
- Choose your seed.
- Water it and watch it sprout.
- Once sprouted, place cremated ashes into the special container below the sprouted tree.
- Plant the whole urn somewhere special and watch it grow.
