Have you ever been part of a likeminded group of individuals? You believe you are only one of a few, but suddenly you find yourself surrounded by people who share the same values and "home is where the heart is" manifests in that moment.

A sense of belonging is exactly what I felt at the D.C. VegFest last weekend. I am a strict vegan (I do not consume, use, or wear any animal products, including those tested on animals) and I found myself in a utopian crowd of vegetarians, vegans and "flexitarians" (people who eat meat but stick mostly to fruits and vegetables). Booths crowded together on the George Washington University Yard; they included Vegan Treats (beautiful vegan cupcakes), Compassion Over Killing (COK), The Humane League of Baltimore, The Falafel Stand, and various other non-profit organizations and food vendors. Nevertheless, what brought us together is a serious, growing issue much of the world faces: the effects of producing and consuming animal products.

Let me first explicitly state that what we eat has a huge effect on our bodies, our fellow creatures, and the Earth. Before putting down this article thinking, "Oh, she's one of those…" acknowledge a couple of points I use to state my case. On August 28; National Geographic published an article concerning the growing demand for meat in Asia: "Asia's growing economy and appetite for meat will require a radical overhaul of farmland irrigation to feed a population expected to swell to 1.4 billion by 2050… South Asia would have to expand its irrigated crop areas by 30 percent and increase water use by 57 percent. Given existing agriculture pressure on water resources and territory, that's an impossible scenario," the study authors said.

Furthermore, according to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) "a totally vegetarian diet requires only 300 gallons of water per day, while a meat-eating diet requires more than 4,000 gallons of water per day." Of course I am not seriously advocating for all Asians to become vegetarian or everyone in general. I simply want people to be aware of the effects of what they put into their bodies. Omitting meat even at one meal every week or adhering to "Meat-free Mondays" has an impact on our environment.

One more example will suffice: in the 2006 United Nations report called "Livestock's Long Shadow," raising livestock was a greater contributor to global warming than the total number of vehicles in the world. How did it contribute? Through the release of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. These gases stay trapped inside our atmosphere as they re-radiate heat back towards Earth causing the greenhouse effect. One of the most obvious ways in which cattle add to the greenhouse effect is through feces. Even humans release methane through the same process; we even release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere just by breathing! The key here is to understand that everything we do has an effect. Maybe you drive a hybrid, maybe you recycle, but eating meat is crucial to our relationship with the Earth.

If you would like to find out more a great resource is goVeg.com. To find out more about the D.C. VegFest go to http://dcvegfest.com/. The Humane League of Baltimore offers great materials as well. There is a vegetarian group on campus, and if you are interested in learning more feel free to email.

Abstaining from eating animal products is one way in which college students clearly can make a difference. Even if you believe that there is no possible way on Earth that you would stop eating meat, the next time you go to The Commons or True Grit's, make an effort to be conscious of what you are putting in your body. One saying is timeless: "You are what you eat."