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Currents: why mondays are meatless

Meatless Monday Makes for Healthier People and a Healthier Planet

From cutting down on carbon emissions to doing more recycling at home and in the office, people are trying different techniques to make their lifestyles more environmentally friendly. Colby-Sawyer College has made a commitment to eliminate our greenhouse gas emissions and integrate sustainability into our curriculum and overall educational experience. By doing so, our college seeks to achieve our shared vision of personal well-being, social justice, financial security and environmental stability for ourselves and our larger global community.

Not only do Colby-Sawyer community members recycle, but we also participate in many green initiatives in the dining hall. One of the ongoing weekly efforts is Sodeso's national program, Meatless Monday. Meatless Monday's goal is exactly what it sounds like: don't serve (or consume) meat products just one day a week and you'll reap health and environmental benefits.

A Healthier You

Meatless Monday was introduced at Colby-Sawyer just this spring, and the success of the program depends on educating students about its health benefits. Studies suggest that a diet of less meat and more fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of cancer and diabetes. Both red and processed meat consumption are associated with colon cancer, according to the Meatless Monday web site.

By reducing meat consumption across the nation, heart disease can also be reduced. Meat and full-fat dairy foods can be replaced with vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. A recent study from Imperial College in London found that reducing overall meat consumption can prevent long-term weight gain, so Meatless Monday will help curb obesity. And when people eat less saturated fat, they're more fit and more likely to live longer.

A Healthier Planet

There's even more good news: forgoing meat not only makes for a healthier body, it's healthier for the planet, too. There are significant environmental benefits to going vegetarian even just one day a week. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide.

Giving up meat once a week will reduce your carbon footprint. An estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into producing a single pound of beef while soy tofu produced in California requires 220 gallons of water per pound. Meatless Monday helps minimize water usage.

A cow weighs more than beans, too. About 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the United States while only 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy areneeded to produce one calorie of plant-based protein. That's a big difference! Moderating meat consumption is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand.

Common Sense Becomes Hip

Does this sound like a radical new idea? It's not.

Meatless Monday was born of necessity and common sense. The concept originated during World War I as a way to feed soldiers overseas by not consuming staples on the homefront. The government's message “Food will win the war” was pounded into citizens through advertisements, recipes and menus in magazines, newspapers and pamphlets. When Meatless Monday was first introduced, more than 10 million families, 7,000 hotels and 425,000 food dealers took the pledge. In November 1916, New York City hotels saved about 116 tons of meat in just one week.

Meatless Monday was reintroduced during World War II, with both President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman using the motto to help feed a devastated Europe. And its latest revival is again thanks to the U.S. Government. In 2003, during the George W. Bush administration, the government took the Meatless Monday pledge to help reduce consumption of the saturated fat found in meat.

In the years since, some famous people and groups have taken the pledge, including Oprah; author Michael Pollan; all Sodexo sites, including Colby-Sawyer; Women's Health magazine; Livestrong, Puma, universities worldwide and others.

“Sodexo is proud to combine our culinary expertise with the knowledge of our clinical dietitians to integrate meatless meal options that meet the nutritional needs of students learning in schools, patients recovering in hospitals, and employees engaging worksite wellness programs," says Nitu Gupta, vice president of brand management for Sodexo health care. "Meatless Monday provides a healthy and tasty alternative for people looking to implement a healthy diet change, which explains why it has been so popular."