BY: ZOE MELNYK
Instead of being placed in a barren abandoned cemetery, the creators of the Capsula Mundi Project came up with the idea to burry the deceased in an organic pod, to use their remains as nutrients to grow into a tree.
This unconventional burial gives people a unique way to reconnect with nature and give back nutrients to the Earth that would otherwise go to waste in a coffin.
The Italian designers Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel proposed the idea of burying the deceased in an egg-like structure that is composed of organic biodegradable starch plastic.
The intention of the project is—rather than having a field of tombstones—to create a sacred forest that will give people a peaceful space to visit lost loved ones, surrounded by nature, as opposed to the bleak environment of a cemetery.
Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel developed a biodegradable burial capsule that will turn a deceased body into nutrients for a tree that will sprout out of their remains.
Friends and family of the deceased will return to a larger and increasingly beautiful tree upon each visit, a representation of life far exceeding that of an inanimate slab.
After the burial, a seed or small tree will be placed above the egg and begin to grow. By planning this specific burial process in advanced, people are able to chose the tree that will grow over them.
Finally as the tree begins to grow, the egg, which holds the deceased, will provide the tree with nutrients from the body in order to grow.
The idea doesn’t just give people the opportunity to reconnect with nature after death—it is also a more sustainable option for handling the deceased as opposed to creating cemeteries.
Instead of cutting down trees for the use of wooden coffins for cemeteries, new trees will be planted, benefiting the environment and creating a welcoming place to celebrate the lives of those who have passed.
At the moment, the project has yet to become a reality as the laws in Italy prevent this kind of burial. However, with help from global support, this idea has the potential to replace the layout of modern cemeteries.
Funerals and burials are generally seen through melancholy eyes and mournful hearts with the focus being on the loss of a loved one.
Instead, funerals can be made into a celebration of life and the burial of someone who will be reborn into nature once more.
Instead of visiting depressing cemeteries, the mourning will be able to walk through sacred forests
Sources: boredpanda.com
