Many pet owners view their animal companions as members of the family and grieve their loss as much as they would the loss of a relative. A growing number of businesses now offer funeral and bereavement services for pets and their owners.

People apparently keep better in the cold as well: a team of archaeologists recently unearthed the oldest cremated human remains yet found in North America.

Current burial processes prevent the deceased person from again becoming "dust" - one with nature, but green burials are coming.

"Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return." The traditional way of burial in the United States, however, makes this traditional Ash Wednesday blessing unattainable. On the contrary, everything about the burial process, from embalming to placement in a metal casket in a lined vault, is designed to prevent the deceased from again becoming one with nature, consuming land, chemicals and scarce resources in the process.

That loud sobbing you often hear at funerals may not be for the dearly departed - it could be the family of the deceased grieving over the cost. With advance funeral planning and smart shopping before the need arises, however, that grief can be reduced.

The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Maine invites the local public to its annual meeting where they can learn about planning a funeral and making informed decision when preparing for the inevitable arrangement.

The Alliance has invited Mark Riposta to be its featured speaker. Riposta is a funeral director from Belfast and operates Maine's largest cremation business. He started Direct Cremation in 1985.