A recent column in the New York Times by cookbook author and foodie Mark Bittman was extremely encouraging to advocates of a diet that that supports justice and respect for animals in our world.

The column points out that despite the average climb in meat consumption over the last half century (the average American eats a half a pound per day), in the last several years that number has actually been decreasing. The department of agriculture projects that meat and poultry consumption will fall again this year, reaching over 12 percent less than in 2007. While beef consumption has been falling for the past 20 years, only in the last five years have chicken and pork consumption also joined in the decline.

Experts attribute this decline to many factors, including increasing prices due to export markets, increase in feed prices due to ethanol production, and drought.

However, the most impressive factor Bittman points out is that "we're eating less meat because we want