The environment is a hot topic right now. It should be because we, as human beings, are quite literally in the hot seat. We are entering a climatic crisis. Not only is the issue of global warming ever present, the sea life in our ocean is also dying off. Even climate change deniers can't deny that humans are polluting the land, air, rivers, and seas at alarming rates.

I’ve seen well-intentioned folk make great efforts, especially in Southern California, where we are experiencing severe drought. People are taking shorter showers, recycling, using less water, and thinking more about how to be eco-friendly. This is all so great, and so important, and I hope that we, as a society, continue to move forward and live synergistically with the Earth.

But I’m sorry. I have to say it. Your shortened showers are not enough.

That is because the biggest polluters in the United States are the meat and dairy industries. “Animal agriculture is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined exhaust from all transportation,” the documentary “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret” reports. Californians use about 1,500 gallons of water each day, and nearly half of that is directly related to meat and dairy consumption.

There’s a problem, and it’s your food.

The most important reason to eat a plant-based diet right now is to secure the future of the ecosystem that supports all of us. Let’s face it, our population is growing, and the demand for meat and dairy continues to increase in developing nations who have long associated meat and dairy with richness. That’s because it is: meat and dairy are costly to produce, and the only reason that you’re still able to buy a hamburger for 99 cents is because these industries have been heavily subsidized by the US government.

If we think critically about a plant-based lifestyle, it becomes more and more clear that this is the solution we’ve been waiting for. Animal agriculture is messy and wasteful. “Every minute, 7 million pounds of excrement are produced by animals raised for food in the US.” Raising these animals requires a vast amount of food and water, all of which are unbelievably resource-intensive. Human beings are deforesting the Amazon at alarming rates in order to produce more soy plants – not to feed hungry hippies – but to feed cattle. If we rethink our food system, by cutting out meat and dairy, we can allocate all these resources to growing staple crops like rice, grains, and root vegetables. The myth that a plant-based diet is deficient has long been debunked.

If you are truly passionate about the environment, the time to make the change is now. You cannot call yourself an environmentalist without taking this huge step. It is the biggest and most important thing you can do to help tackle these big issues and secure a safe and sustainable future for us and future generations.

And before you carelessly refute this article with “but bacon,” stop yourself and think: “Is bacon really worth sacrificing a sustainable future for all of us?” Because this isn’t an issue that is going to affect the next generation. This issue is here and now. It is affecting us. And seitan bacon is on sale at your local Whole Foods – it’s way more delicious and healthier than any pig could ever be.

For more information, please check out “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret.”