Did you know you don't have to be cremated or buried 6 feet underground in a casket after you die?
Planning for your death involves a lot, from handling your estate to deciding on your funeral arrangements and what happens to your body. To make sure you consider all your options, we've put together a list of 7 unique things you can do with your body after you pass away.
Some companies can transform your cremated remains into a beautiful memorial or ash diamond. Here's how it works: they take carbon from a portion of your ashes, apply High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) technology, press it, and voilà – a diamond is created. You can even choose the cut and style. The cost depends on your preferences. Companies like Algordanza, Eterneva, and LONITÉ specialize in this unique and meaningful process.
There are a few ways to become a tree after death, including a tree urn, tree burial pod, human composting, and tree planting services.
Tree Urn: Your cremated ashes are placed into a biodegradable urn, which decomposes over time. Your loved ones plant the urn with soil and a seedling of your choice, and a tree grows from it.
Tree Burial Pod: Your body is placed in a biodegradable burial pod and buried in the ground. A tree is planted on top, and as the pod decomposes, your body nourishes the tree.
Human Composting: Your body is transformed into nutrient-rich soil over 45 days through a natural, carbon-neutral process, that benefits trees.
Tree Planting Services: A tree is planted in your honor, and your composted or cremated remains are mixed with the soil to nourish the tree.
Your cremated remains can become part of an artificial coral reef along the East and Gulf coasts of the United States. Here's how it works: your ashes are mixed with environmentally safe concrete and molded into a reef ball, which is a hollow, holey structure up to six feet wide and five feet tall. This new reef will then serve as a habitat for sea life, helping to support and restore ocean ecosystems.
Your cremated remains can be incorporated into memorial fireworks that light up the sky, sprinkling your ashes for your loved ones to see. Here's how it works: about three tablespoons of your ashes are mixed into the firework composition and loaded into a fireworks shell, creating a spectacular and meaningful display.
Your cremated remains can be pressed into a vinyl record with any audio of your choice, allowing your family to listen forever. Here's how it works: your ashes are incorporated into a record that plays 24 minutes (12 per side) of music or an audio recording. You can personalize the packaging with your birth and death dates, or even a portrait.
Your cremated remains can be launched into space! You have options: they can be sent into Earth's orbit, the moon's orbit, onto the moon's surface, or even into deep outer space. Prices vary based on your chosen destination. Celestis offers "memorial spaceflights," reserving a spot for your ashes on scheduled launches. Your loved ones can attend the launch and track your journey in orbit.
Cryonics Institute (CI) is an American nonprofit facility that will preserve your dead body by freezing it in liquid nitrogen, hoping for a future where medical technology can cure or reverse whatever caused your death. It's one of the pricier options for what to do with your body, but it offers the possibility of a second chance at life.
With so many unique options, your final arrangements can be as special as your life. From becoming a beautiful diamond or a majestic tree, to contributing to ocean habitats or even lighting up the sky as fireworks, there's a meaningful choice for everyone. You could have your ashes turned into a vinyl record, launched into outer space, or preserved through cryonics. Each of these options allows your memory to live on extraordinarily, providing comfort and inspiration to your loved ones. As you plan for the future, consider these creative and impactful ways to leave your legacy.