Meatless Monday
Mayor Rick Kriseman issued a proclamation urging residents to make the decision to increase the consumption of healthy plant-based foods and take steps improve their environment by proclaiming April 19, Meatless Monday. The Meatless Monday movement was created in partnership with the John Hopkins Center for a Livable Future and encourages people to decrease the amount of meat in their diet to support personal and environmental health one-day per week. Healthy St. Pete supports efforts to increase healthy foods into a well-balanced diet and is working to make the healthy choice the easy choice through programs and partnerships across the city.
The Meatless Monday movement takes a different approach. Rather than asking someone to eliminate meat from their diet all together, the movement focuses on increasing healthy plant-based foods and reducing red meat to experience improved individual health. The American Heart Association agrees. According to a study presented at the association’s Epidemiology and Prevention/Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions in 2020. The study revealed that eating more protein from plant sources or dairy while reducing red meat consumption could help people live longer. More than 37,000 Americans took part in the study that revealed those who ate the most plant protein were 27% less likely to die of any cause and 29% less likely to die of coronary heart disease compared to people who ate the least amount of plant protein.
There is also evidence that reducing meat consumption conserves land, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, saves water, and saves energy. A healthier lifestyle and healthier planet are something we can all agree are vital to a healthy city. To learn more about the Meatless Monday movement visit www.mondaycampaigns.org/meatless-monday. There, you will find supportive graphics, resources, and easy to use tool kits designed to help various industries implement and amplify the Meatless Monday movement in their areas of influence.
