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It seems that we've reached some kind of collective threshold of awareness regarding the environment. You can't be green enough these days in just about every aspect of life. In terms of food, going vegetarian is the best way to eat if you want to boost your rating on the green-o-metre as well as the health-o-metre.

Used to be that saying you were a vegetarian was sort of like saying you were an alien - almost blasphemy against the meat and potatoes North American lifestyle. But the proportions on the dinner plate have been changing in recent years in favor of more vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats.

But the next step is to ditch meat protein altogether in favor of plant sources. Vegans eat no animal products. They consume beans and legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains for protein which can nourish you just as well as steak or pork chops. Eggs and dairy products are also excellent protein choices (if you go for the lacto-ovo vegetarian option.)

The production and the transport of food is the industry with one of the largest impacts on the environment. Producing food requires the burning of large quantities of fossil fuels. And we are transporting food longer distances than ever before, using even more fossil fuels.

Protein foods take the most resources to produce - land, water and fuel. Producing 1 kcal of beef requires 35 kcal of fossil fuel. Producing 1 kcal of plant protein uses only 2.2 kcal of fuel. That's 16 times less!

In producing meat, you have to produce plant food to feed the animals - an extra step in the equation. It's simpler and smarter for people to just eat that plant food. And more food becomes available for human consumption, an important factor when world hunger is considered.

Another reason to stick with plant-based protein is that the higher up you eat on the food chain, the more contaminants are concentrated in the food. Herbicides, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, pollutants heavy metals, all of the things we want to avoid are more concentrated in meat protein.

Meat production can also result in deforestation, destruction of land due to over-grazing. Heck, even the methane gas produced by animals' gassy emissions adds to the greenhouse effect!

Another way to help the environment is to buy food locally, preferably from organic growers. Take it one step further, and grow your own food. Almost anyone can have a vegetable garden or a fruit patch. Even if you live in a city apartment, there's container gardening. But, not everyone can keep a cow or pig in their back yard.

Aside from all of the green advantages of going vegetarian, there are also personal perks. Vegetarians have healthier cardio-vascular systems. Not eating meat means you avoid gobs of saturated fat in your diet - the worst fat for your heart.

More fibre in the vegetarian diet means healthier digestive and cardio-vascular systems as well.

Fruits and vegetables are among the most nutrient-dense foods that we can consume. That's why vegetarians have lower rates of certain cancers and healthier immune systems. They are also more able to maintain a healthy weight.

One last thought. Going green means having more awareness of and consideration for the other creatures with which we share the earth. Meat production, in some cases, can result in the inhumane treatment of animals.

Going vegetarian can be an adventure in exploring new foods and new cuisines. It can be an exercise in simplifying your life and, yes, getting greener.

* Elaine Mandrona is a locally based registered nutritional consulting practicioner who advises people on nutrition and weight loss, as well as a Nutritionist with Healthier for Life Nutrition and Weight Loss Centre. If you would like to reach her, please phone 874-8142.