Last month I addressed biodiesel and the use of waste animal fat or cooking oil for alternative fuel generation. I was lucky to have a reader comment on my column suggesting that this idea didn’t actually seem very environmentally friendly and that we should focus also on "lessen[ing] our dependence on animals."

I believe this person was referring to the fact that animals raised for food consumption can pose a huge drain on the world’s natural resources. If you are reading this out there, thanks for the post and I agree with you!

You may find that eating less meat is one of the least popular topics of discussion. Meat has historically been a staple food in our diets. Ask a man to order a salad and he’ll react as if you threatened his manhood. I’ve seen it happen on more than one occasion.

Contrary to any number of stories, eating meat puts a vastly greater strain on the environment than does grain consumption. We have come to the point where the environmental effects of our actions will be key to the health and happiness of future generations. For this and other reasons, I’m asking you to put your judgments aside and consider Vegetarianism.

Vegetarian means a plant-based diet of vegetables and fruits, nuts, seeds, and grains. Strict vegetarians (or "vegans") do not eat meat or seafood or use products derived from or tested on animals, and a lacto ovo vegetarian eats mostly plant foods but also dairy products and eggs.

This information is proudly communicated at the Vegetarian Society of Richmond, a non-profit organization founded in 1995 and dedicated to promoting vegetarianism through education, monthly activities and advocacy.

Lois Angeletti, president of the Vegetarian Society of Richmond, states that improving health is among the top reasons that Richmonders first start to eat less meat. Today, out of VSR’s two hundred members, it’s "usually a mix of reasons ranging from health, animal cruelty, spiritual choices and world hunger."

Lois says that there is still some ignorance in connecting meat and the environment though. However, awareness is definitely changing with the recent speculation of climate change and people’s environmental footprint.

In reality, out of all the food we eat meat production and consumption is the biggest energy user, and therefore the most environmentally un-friendly choice all around.

A big example of the strain from meat is what goes into raising these animals. In "Deeper Shade of Green: Five Big-Impact Changes," a recent article in Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine states that half of the fresh water consumed in the U.S. is used for livestock (in the form of crop irrigation) and 70 percent of the grains we grow goes directly to feed farm animals.

In Common Wealth (2008), Jeffrey Sachs says "to fatten a cow by one kilogram, about eight kilograms of feed grains must be fed to the cow." Also, he states that if we take into account the fact that much of a cow is bones and fat, each kilogram of edible meat has used even more feed grains. This is an overall net energy loss.

Energy is an important component that we need to take seriously in order to maintain a healthy world and its ecosystems.

A second example is the amount of waste (animal excrement) that is attributed to pollution; in our case the Chesapeake Bay. There really is no good way of disposing cattle and chicken waste, so it is mostly washed away into the tributaries that feed the Bay.

This problem can accelerate plant and algae growth and subsequently lead to an oxygen problem deep in the water. This in turn can contaminate or kill fish and other river-bottom plants and animals. Bay watermen also have tough times chopping through the submerged aquatic vegetation creating a nuisance.

Emissions from the transport of beef are important to consider as well as the vast acreage of land it takes to raise cattle. Most of the beef Americans eat comes all the way from South America. In some areas, people are literally cutting down rainforests to raise cattle.

There are so many ways to limit our consumption. It might be difficult to start out doing, but one meatless day out of the week is a start at a healthier environment.

I admit it. I’m a meat-eater at heart. I love seafood, sandwiches and Five Guys burgers. However, I’m currently not eating meat (‘lacto ovo vegetarian’ to be correct) and found that I am not completely dependant on the stuff. I’m always in the market to find ways to lessen my energy consumption and given the points I’ve made above this is a great option that gets easier with every passing day.

It’s been eight months and I have run the gamut on soy, nuts, hummus and many varieties of beans. However dull this may sound, I happen to crave it all now. More importantly, I believe my goals have been accomplished.

I appreciate vegetarianism and have a deep respect for those that eat less meat. I’ll go back to eating meat soon, but in the future I’ll be making less meat choices.

By choosing to eat a little less meat you can help reverse its effect on land use, the Chesapeake Bay, water consumption and Vehicle Miles Traveled; the list goes on.  

David Martin is an environmental consultant in Richmond. David agrees with the Zombie Survival Guide‘s claim that the speed and quiet mobility of a bicycle is the best way to stay safe from the undead. Oh, and it’s environmentally friendly too.