Colleges are fertile grounds for vegetarianism, Leyh said, because many students are very interested in the environmental movement and there is a clear link between meat production and environmental issues like pollution and conservation.

"The environmental impact of factory farms is catastrophic," said Leyh.

Leyh said the amount of fossil fuel and water that go into the production of one hamburger could run a small car for 20 miles and supply water for 17 showers. And according to PETA, slaughterhouses and processing plants pollute water with millions of gallons of animal waste each year.

Vegetarianism is the only way to solve these problems, Leyh contends.

"We can recycle until we're blue in the face, but until we're ready to make a lifestyle change, we're not going to do anything," she said.

Leyh, who quoted Alice Walker, Jeremy Bentham and Mahatma Gandhi in her remarks, also supported the philosophical basis of vegetarianism.

"Animals have their own inherent value," she said. "Going vegetarian is the easiest way for us all to learn to be a little more compassionate in our choices."