A Greener Passing

This is not a topic most people like to deal with; however, it should be decided before the final passing in order to ease the burden on those left behind. My own beloved mother passed away approximately 18 months ago; and, I remember it as if it were today. Fortunately, we knew what her wishes were; but, we had made no plans whatsoever.

She was cremated according to her wishes.

ALL photos and images courtesy: Margaux Ruyant

Though conventional 'deathcare' is hardly green, thanks to the use of embalming chemicals, concrete vaults and non-biodegradable caskets, burials are getting greener each year with various eco-friendly options and smarter approaches.

But what about keeping it simple, yet also tying death back into nature's cycle of renewal? That's what French designer Margaux Ruyant does with Poetree, a funeral urn that infuses a poetic spirit into the mourning process. Poetree is a funeral urn that evolves over time, allowing loved ones to plant a tree in the ashes, while also providing a simple but elegant monument.


The Poetree is made out of a ceramic ring with the deceased's details, plus a cork container and stopper. Relatives can place the deceased's ashes in the urn and take it home, along with a boxwood tree sapling in a biodegradable pot. When they are ready, the cork stopper is removed, soil can be poured inside the urn, and the small tree may be planted in the ashes.


After giving the boxwood tree some time to grow, the urn can then be planted outside, where the cork container can biodegrade, leaving only the ceramic ring as a marker and a living, growing tree to commemorate those who have passed on. It's a gorgeous idea that transforms the traditional 'static' view of death into something that is fluid and triumphantly hopeful.