For the teenage environmentalists searching for ways to Go Green, eliminating or reducing the amount of meat and dairy products consumed is a simple and easy step to take.

Animals raised for slaughter consume five times more grain than those who eat the same grain. According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, animals from factory farms have contributed to 173 miles of river and stream pollution from chemical and waste runoff. Land 1050 yards by 455 yards, equivalent to seven football fields, is cleared away every minute to create more space for raising animals and the crops that feed them.

What is your nitrogen footprint as a result of the foods you eat? Find out here.

Most meat-lovers cannot fathom giving up their daily sustenance. However, vegetarian and vegan lifestyles do not have to be set in place over night. A gradual change in diet is the best way to eliminate or reduce the amount of meat and dairy products consumed. The key to a successful change in diet is to keep an open mind.