It is now common knowledge that the abundant and out of control use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides used to grow our food is causing major environmental disruption. In addition to environmental disruption, produce grown with these chemicals is nutritionally inferior to organically grown produce. However, the problem is even bigger then just eating organic. It is also becoming more and more obvious how powerfully all of our food choices impact the environment as well. If we were to change from an omnivorous diet to a plant based diet, we could reduce green house emissions by approximately 21%. Changing your diet will do more for the environment then driving a hybrid Prius or recycling. Eating one pound of meat emits the same amount of greenhouse gasses as driving a SUV 40 miles. The impact of raising factory farm animals is huge, affecting every aspect of our lives. Animal agriculture effects the environment, water, the price you pay at the checkout counter, labor costs, energy, animal cruelty, individual health (including antibiotic resistance), the cost of health care, and so much more. I would encourage everyone to read and learn about this topic and become informed about how each meal affects the individual, society and the environment.