> not only do farmers not pay their own environmental costs, the whole 
> industry is heavily subsidized by the government. I wish I understood 
> that system better.

I see this as an instance of a more general problem, namely corporate 
welfare, and it's sick sick sick.

As for farmers passing on the cost to consumers, I agree, that's exactly 
the point.  Like Bethany and others, including the article Rob sent, are 
saying, it's ultimately our choices as consumers that matter.  (Except 
when our misguided government -- on both sides of the aisle -- literally 
pays (forces us to pay) factory farms and other companies to produce stuff 
we don't want!)

I have a proposal:  let's estimate the long term environmental cost of 
eating a hamburger (ideas on how solicited -- don't say it's impossible, 
we can at least put an upper bound on it) and pledge to set aside that 
much money for an environmental charity per hamburger (etc) we eat.

Who's in?

-- 
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/dreeves  - -  search://"Daniel Reeves"

"Politicians are like diapers; both should be changed regularly, and
for the same reason."