The increased cost of gasoline is putting a strain on many of us this summer, and it could signal that the prices we pay for various consumer goods will start to more accurately reflect their true costs.  This could actually have a positive effect on consumer behavior. Earlier this year, an article in the New York Times compared how much fossil fuel is required to produce a meat meal versus a vegan meal and estimated that the meat meal required 16 times more. When the many hidden costs associated with producing meat, milk and eggs are accounted for, we can likely expect higher prices for animal products, and with it, a movement toward more ecologically efficient, sustainable, and compassionate plant-based diets..