I grew up with two devilish cats that were deeply loved by my family. When they passed away — the orange female at 11, the tabby female some years later at 16 — my father buried them beneath a fig tree in the yard. The tree had belonged to my grandfather, and when he passed, my family brought the tree to their property in his memory. It had difficulty adapting to its new home, but when nourished with our beloved pets, it exploded with life. Now it’s over two stories tall and provides abundant fruit in the late summer. The magnificent tree is a comfort when I think of my three loved ones who have passed on.
Because of this experience, I am excited to share with you Greenfinit, a new product that helps you celebrate the life of your deceased pet by transforming his or her ashes into a thriving, native tree. While there are many creative ways to celebrate the life of a pet that has passed away, Greenfinit has developed a unique type of memorial that is easy to build and share, and gives back to the environment. Greenfinit is seeking funding through a Kickstarter campaign to produce its first batch of containers. Read on for information about how to support them!
Greenfinit is a biodegradable planter that holds a pet’s ashes, compost, and the tree seed of your choice (Greenfinit recommends native trees because they are kinder to the environment). A pet owner can begin to grow the tree indoors, as Greenfinit is an attractive container that comes in a variety of colors.
Growing the tree indoors is meant to give a grieving pet owner more time to mourn the loss of her pet before needing to let go. When the pet owner feels ready, she can plant the whole Greenfinit container in the ground, where the tree will continue to grow and thrive. In this way, the pet’s life gives the tree life.
Greenfinit goes beyond the container that holds your pet’s ashes and the tree. Each container has a unique serial number that allows the owner to register its location on Greenfinit’s website. Pet owners can create online memorials to their pets, including photos and text, and easily link the memorial to social networking sites.
Greenfinit wants mourning pet owners to take comfort from how their tree enriches the environment; the website will keep track of the amount of oxygen the tree puts out, and the amount of carbon dioxide it removes from the atmosphere.Greenfinit describes this process as “recycling life,” which I think is a beautiful idea.
Greenfinit is seeking funding through a Kickstarter campaign. They have reached about $13,000 of their $70,000 goal, and with their November 29th deadline fast approaching, they need the support of interested pet lovers. Check out their Kickstarter page. I found it to be delightfully detailed and personal, including the story of the dog that inspired the idea of Greenfinit, videos and sketches showing how they developed the idea, and photos of actual trees growing in Greenfinit containers. The rewards for donors are pretty fantastic; they include the Greenfinit container in any of a variety of colors, awesome t-shirts with the phrase “I Recycle Life,” and even postcards.
Dogster readers, check out Greenfinit’s Kickstarter page and let us know what you think in the comments below. We would love to hear about the creative and meaningful ways you have celebrated the lives of your deceased dogs, cats, or other pets.
About Ace’s Mama: This East Coast transplant enjoys the bounty of San Francisco, including its microclimates, farmer’s markets, and secret stairway walks. When she’s not walking with, talking about, or kissing the face of her Boston Terrier, Ace, she blogs about Ace’s adventures. Product reviews writer and guinea pig at Dogster.
