The idea of matter neither being created nor destroyed is nothing new, but the Capsula Mundi Project is taking it to a whole new level: As in, if you live in Italy, you might soon have the option to bury yourself or your loved ones (post-mortem, of course) in biodegradable capsules instead of coffins. And that’s not all—the pods give back to the environment by using the corpses inside as nutrients for trees planted directly above them. That’s right—a seed of choice is positioned above the pod so that its roots can grow down into the decaying body and literally create life from death.
Though it’s just a concept right now (this kind of burial is not really legal yet, although the website is working to change that, too), designers Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel are aiming to create “entire memorial parks of trees instead of tombstones.” According to Citelli and Bretzel, their goal is twofold: They want to “provide sustenance for new trees” while simultaneously promoting their belief that descendants will find the practice of resting their loved ones under the shade of beautiful trees truly comforting.
Not gonna lie, it sounds pretty sweet to us.
Now here’s a thought: After bequeathing your Facebook page to your sister, making a trip to Mars, and peacefully dying in your sleep while wearing DIY kitten flats, which tree would you pick?
Images c/o Dead State and Capsula Mundi
