“Cutting back a little on meat will help make our city healthier and our planet stronger for generations to come,” said de Blasio. He added that both the obesity and climate change crises can be meaningfully addressed by adopting a more plant-based diet.
In addition to reducing climate impact, diets that favor plant-based instead of animal protein can lower the risk of chronic preventable diseases like cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Meatless Monday is an initiative of The Monday Campaigns, associated with The Lerner Centers for Public Health Promotion at Johns Hopkins, Columbia and Syracuse universities. The campaign seeks to reduce the risk of preventable chronic diseases and lessen the environmental impact associated with meat consumption.
The campaigns are founded on research that shows Monday as the day people are most primed to start and sustain a healthy new behavior. Since its 2003 launch, Meatless Monday has become an international movement with support from schools, restaurants, hospitals and communities.