Just Another ‘Meatless’ Monday in LA

The Los Angeles City Council has reportedly approved a resolution endorsing the international “meatless Mondays” campaign, which aims to reduce meat consumption for health and environmental reasons. According to news sources, in a unanimous 12–0 vote, the council approved the resolution endorsing the campaign and encouraging residents to give up meat for one day a week. The resolution apparently makes Los Angeles the largest city to adopt the campaign started in 2003 in conjunction with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Other U.S. cities that have reportedly endorsed meatless Mondays include Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Raleigh, N.C.

Introduced by Councilwoman Jan Perry and Councilman Ed Reyes, the resolution cites statistics showing that more than one half of Los Angeles County residents are overweight. The campaign claims that cutting meat consumption can reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. See The Los Angeles Times, November 12, 2012.