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Subscribe to RSSLos Angeles is hoping to persuade people to become vegetarian – at least one day per week. Under a resolution unanimously approved by the city council this week, all future Mondays in the City of Angels have been declared "Meatless Mondays."
It's part of an international campaign to cut down on meat consumption for health and environmental reasons.
Both the spiritual home of the hamburger and a haven for the health-obsessed, Los Angeles became the largest city in the nation to support the Meatless Monday campaign. The nonprofit initiative, started in 2003, is associated with Johns Hopkins University's public health school.
Councilwoman Jan Perry, who introduced the motion with Councilman Ed Reyes, noted the environmental impacts of meat production, and she emphasized that a high-meat diet has been linked to health problems such as colon, prostate, kidney and breast cancers, as well as heart disease.
"Eating less meat can prevent and even reverse some of our nation's most common illnesses," Perry said.
"We've become disconnected in some ways from the simple truth that our health is directly affected by the foods we eat,'' she added.
Read more from NBCLosAngeles.com
Her motion posted 12-0 in a council session Friday.
Reyes said it is easy for individuals to feel helpless in the face of issues as big as global warming or the obesity epidemic, "but the small changes we make every day can have a tremendous impact. That's why this 'Meatless Monday' resolution is important. Together we can better our health, the animals and the environment, one plate at a time.''
The council resolution referred to the link between livestock and environmental problem, and noted that reduced consumption of animal-based foods can "lower our carbon footprint."
The decision was made "in support of comprehensive sustainability efforts as well as to further encourage residents to eat a more varied plant-based diet to protect their health, protect animals and protect the environment."
The resolution also pointed to statistics showing more than half of Los Angeles County residents are obese or overweight, and stated reduced meat consumption can lower health risks.
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I urge everyone in LA to make sure they have a big juicy hamburger for lunch and a nice steak for supper each and every Monday and make sure you send these tree hugging, sprout eating, solar panel kissing city council members an email letting them know of your menu for the day. No wonder they call California the Left Coast.
If the world had fewer people, there would be no starving people either.
I am waiting for California Wine-less day in California. Thursday lets all drink only imported wine.
Apparently, they didn't get the memo. We are a nation now that no longer wants or needs personal responsibility. Why should anyone eat "healthy" when the government is there to pick up the bill for your healthcare anyway.
"Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, for tomorrow the government will clean up the mess and pay your tab!"
and yet more socialist government control-now a bill to TELL people what they have to eat-what a freakin mess this country is..
Funny how the Republicans preach "personal responsibility" when they don't want to pay for something or pay their fair share, but when asked to do the same thing, they call people socialists.
Fair share? Don't you mean that those who have worked harder and made more be FORCED to give it to whom YOU decide? The wealthy have given more to charity than any government program designed. And lest you forget-other's money is NOT YOURS to decide what to do with..and when did most middle and upper middle americans ever refuse to pay their own way? We already pay for every social program on the planet whether we want to or not...charity is a personal gift that comes from the HEART-not a government mandated disempowering set of laws forced upon and payed for by us.... After taxes, neither you nor the government has a moral right to decide where the rest of OUR money goes without any say so from those who have actually earned it-if you want to support a program-be my guest but keep your liberal nose out of everyone else's business..from a former liberal...
...and may I add that you said 'asked" we are NOT being asked-THAT is the problem-we are being TOLD..and that is about as socialist as you can get..
Idiot!!
Apparently YOU didn't get the memo. We're all in this together. And if everyone takes care of their health, we can ALL pay less for healthcare!! I changed my diet and lost weight, got off BP meds and almost never see the doctor now. Wouldn't you rather pay into a healthcare system used by HEALTHY people than one used by sick, fat diabetics rolling into the doctor's office on their motorized scooters??? It will cost us ALL less if we all put down the junk food and pick up a frigging carrot!
Health care is socialism. I figured that it would not take long to see the, "you fat people are costing me more because of insurance". This is right after you made me get insurance by law. Now that I have to buy insurance you think you can tell me what to eat. Didn't we kick England's ass because they were telling us what to do?
Funny how its always... We are all in this together. Yet, only half of us have to pay for ALL of it.
Yeah. The old, sick, disabled and poor don't pay taxes. Are you jealous or something?? I'd rather be the one paying INTO the system than the poor bastard living off welfare.
I wonder what reaction these meat freak's had when their pacifiers were taken from them. (or were they?) How childish and silly can you get?
You know what I'm womdering, how it only took 12-0 vote for this, but when it comes to balancing the budget it takes 4-5 years. The president has been telling them to get busy on the economic situation, but they find it- what easier to tell people what to eat or drink? Some elected officials, huh CA residents?
Nanzee; now you want to take my pacifier away? Please go away.
Leave it to California to come up with even more stupidity. When is that socialist loving dump going to do the country a huge favor and sink into the ocean taking all of these morons with it?
it would have to take Washington with it now as well...the sooner the better..
Fact:
So true. Where is the San Andreas Fault when you need it!!!
speaking of "Dumps, Looks like NY will fall in the ocean first....."...please take a look in your own front yard before calling our beautiful state names...A$$-Hole !
The state (CA) is beautiful but it's infested with idiots and retards!
"Beautiful State", make me laugh!
Answer this, if your so concerned about things like this, then where is CaliLand going to STEAL the next Trillion acre feet of fresh water to grow grapes to make F^ck'n wine with.
And, while you are dreaming up an answer, I'm going to BURGERBIGGIE!
Funny remarks on what think of Meatless Mondays.I love meat but can't afford to eat it 7 days a week.So Meatless Mondays would be a good frugal way of purposely not eating meat on Mondays.Just learned Meatless Monday has been around since 2003 so this isn't a new concept. Also meatless days were done in World War 1And II to encourage voluntary rationing, the USFA created the slogan “Food Will Win the War” and coined the terms "Meatless Monday" and even Wheatless Wednesday.I would have a hard time with Wednesday because I like cereal and sandwiches.
You can have my cocoa krispies when you pry them from my cold dead hands:)
Ditto on that Paulie!
that's not the point-the point is FREEDOM-to eat what you please when you want-NO ONE has a right to tell another adult what they must eat..period.. now we're legislating eating? insanity...
Where do these stupid politicans come from. Let's get the economy going and create jobs instead of worry about what I want to eat.
You guys and gals need to relax. In NYC they make these laws not suggestions:)
Demand for meat is so high, producers spend tons of money on force-gain feed grain and hormones, because time is money in a real sense in getting their product to market. If we all ate less meat, and bought only grass fed/natural fed beef, chicken and lamb, we'd have helped the producers out of their dilemna (over time, as market adaptations occured), and end up with a much tastier, healthier meal. Obviously, with less demand for animal feed grain, etc., we could produce our grains and veggies for human consumption only for the export market, helping our farms make more money, too.
Tell you what. Practice what you preach, just don't impose your bulls*t on others!!!
I do get my meat through a co-op, and it is range-fed. Although it costs me more $, It does taste better, and I feel better after the meal. In addition to this, I truly believe that most of the health concerns that we deal with today are caused by the introduction of hormones, antibiotics, etc. into the raising of livestock for our consumption. But, to even suggest that one day of the week to be dedicated to only vegetarian meals is to take away my choice. I consider it a stepping stone to even worse regulation and loss of the liberties that our Constitution guarantees. We have lost too much freedom in this country in the last twenty years. Let's get it back. Oh, just one more thing, I do eat all of my vegetables, especially asparagus.
Brussel Sprouts, Spinach, and Rutabagas also?
tomshiba - exactly. The suggested meatless mondays or other slogan campaigns would be a moot issue if people, like you and me, spread the word and help build demand for natural fed meat. I worked in the fine dining restaurant business for 3 decades. The "slow food movement" has produced absolutely superior taste and quality in produce and meats, and is becoming the demanded standard for restaurants. The more demand for traditionally raised foods, the more affordable they will become. It's a win-win-win situation; healthier animals=healthier food=healthier people.....and it saves a lot of energy, too.
tomshiba and mellon--good points! My hubby and I hunt and fish, and have several big vegetable gardens in our back yard. I'm a big fan of the slow food movement and of the locavore movement as well:)
It is NOT the government's job to tell people what to eat!!!!!!!!!!! The Vegans are mostly an odd lot to begin with. The human body needs meat protein.
WHAT???? STAY OUT of our freakin lives-I am tired of this kind of stuff!!! if you want to go veggie, fine-keep it to yourself. This is outragous-what business do YOU have telling people what to eat? have you NO work to do???? Have you NEVER heard of Live and Let live? Obviously not-shut the heck up and go do your job!!
Well said Mary!! Bravo!!
The devil comes to lie, cheat, steal, and kill. Right he just wants Monday. It will not end there. Give him an inch and he'll take over.
Very stupid idea!!
When a liberal says this, they don't want anyone to eat what they don't eat. California is the state of fruits and nuts and this shows why liberals are a mental case. But sooner or later the adminstration, will try to stop meat eating by saying its bad and that they are banning it.
If a conservative doesn't like meat or large soda's, they just don't eat or drink it, if a liberal doesn't like either they try to stop everyone from doing it.
grant...like all the things that conservatives don't like such as birth control, family planning and reproductive decisions being a private matter, equality for LGBT people, paying their fair share, education, facts, science...I could go on...
I wish the Republican party were live and let live, but you guys are crotch obsessed, forever trying to control the crotches of gay folks and women and keep them from doing this and that. If you could, you'd install cameras in the underpants of gay taxpayers and women to further your control and keep them from doing this and that.
@ lemur lady
I see we agree. There's no more officious group of folks than cons.
Lemur:
Stay on subject and quit trying to dodge the issue.
Grant asserted, that "if a liberal doesn't like either they try to stop everyone from doing it." Lemur proved him wrong. Cons are crotch-locked on more than half of all Americans. They're crotch controllers. Pervs.
At least we think for ourselves, you need to change your name to lemminglady since you intend to follow the rest of the crowd over the cliff. Just pi$$es me off that you are determined to drag the rest of us with you. They say ignorance is bliss, if that's true you have to be the happiest person on the planet since you bought the lies told by the campaign hook line and sinker,
Holly, even though I am not Republican chances are still good I would want NOTHING to do with your Crotch.
First it was NYC saying how much soda you can buy at a movie theater now this. Doesn't our gov't have better things to worry about like the economy, health care. Just because you are a vegertarian it doesn't mean you are more healthy.. What people need is an equal balance of both.
What people need are flat, hard bellies. Do you have one? If not, be a patriot and get in shape, so that your country doesn't have to care for you. Pronto. No excuses.
Flat belly and no brains, but you look good to another idiot!
Councilwoman Jan Perry is a complete nut!!
I can see that the high end steak houses are really going to love this stupidity! If I lived there -- and I am glad I do NOT -- I would make it a point to go eat steak every Monday just to show that Los Angeles is now leaning more and more toward becoming another New York City. Maybe Nanny Bloomberg could offer them some advice on how to regulate the size of carbonated drinks at fast food restaurants.
I am so glad that the california govt, has nothing more to worry about then eating meat. What a great state it must be, to on worry about this or maybe that wearing red shirts should be banned, because they don't like red.
To make it effective, the school district should serve meatless dishes on Monday's. You need to teach the younger generation not only about the excess meet consumption that we, as American's do, but it would be a great time to teach nutrition to them.
I think it's a great start ... We have too many people in our society (I would guess that is a lot of the people who are complaining about this) who over overweight/obese, and have a lot of health problems that are associated with our eating habits and lack of exercise.
Michelle, is that you?
Teaching them personal responsibilty is one thing. Indoctrinating them is another.
A suggestion today is tomorrow's law.
But no one is listening, because no one wants to think for themself anymore. It's so much easier to let the government tell you what to do.
Then rlrslx,
Stay out of people's bedrooms and women's reproductive tracts if you don't like any government telling you what to do.
Americans are getting fatter and sicker, and WHO is going to be whingeing about having to pay higher premiums or not being able to find any workers that have any healthy stamina? We raised a whole generation of kids in front of a computer screen and gaming console while feeding them super sized fast food, high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated fats...
The food industry in this country is partly to blame. The same foods that are heavily processed and full of chemicals today were not decades ago. You rarely saw an overweight person unless he/she had a medical problem or an injury that prevented them from exercising. Hormones in the meat and dairy products have come home to roost. Low income people cannot afford to buy lean meat and quality produce.
Happy birthday to USMC from a USAF vet. Semper Fi.
Again here!
I'll never understand why the Right celebrates people who mass murder people when the Right is allegedly big fans of the Prince of Peace, the god who told us to turn the other cheek.
Holly:
You are a piece of sh*t!
If you can't stand by our troops, I suggest you stand in front of them.
Holly, you can sleep tight tonight in AMERICA for your Military is awake! Or would you rather be speaking Japanese or something else?
roc:
You cannot reason with a liberal indoctinated brainless idiot like Holly or Lemur!
Roc, Japan invaded and occupied other countries for resources, just like the American military does. What's the difference? They waterboarded people, just like this country does. Again, what's the difference?
Japan attacked the USA unprovoked. They planned to invade our country until they realized American citizens were armed and constituted the biggest army in the world. This is fact if you know the history of WW2!
Secondly, Germany was ravaging Europe around the same time. The USA stayed out the war until Europe begged for help. If the USA had not been involved, all of us would have been speaking German today.
My God you are totally stupid and ignorant!
The US attacks many countries without being attacked. The Defense Department doesn't defend. It attacks. I know you think of yourself as a hero, but you have a great deal in common with the soldiers of Japan and Germany, circa 1939, invading and occupying other countries for their resources. Pretending that there are weapons of mass destruction or that freedom is on the march doesn't change the fact that it's imperialism.
P.S. - You'll be more persuasive sans exclamation points and if you don't threaten to murder an American who pays for your healthcare.
Holly, LBJ your hero?
If you're fat, you'll be relying upon the labor of others to care for you as fat folks require more medical care. It is patriotic to summon the strength to put the fork down and push away from the table. It is patriotic to find the backbone to exercise everyday. Otherwise, you'll need your neighbors near and far to work that much harder and make do with less just because you loved that second helping more than your country.
Well, you're stupid and all the medical care in the world won't change that!
I have a dear friend who is morbidly obese and it's sad. At the end of the day, she's done it to herself and she's barely mobile. We are scared to death for her that she might fall and not be found for days.
She's far from ignorant or idle...she's a brainiac and one of the smartest people I know and she is very neat and clean and she's always cheerful. Myself and a mutual friend are wondering HOW someone so intelligent could be in such shape and not know (or even care) that it could kill her. She weighs twice as much as someone for her height at the number they would already be medically obese.
I'm no Skinny Minnie myself...I'm a 12 and should really be an 8 for my proper body weight and height. I'm approaching menopause and know it's going to be harder to get the weight off. 20-30 lbs makes a big difference in a knee or back not hurting.
Food is an addiction just like drugs and alcohol and often people who are overweight have other emotional issues and pain they are trying to solve with food.
Food is fashioned to be addictive. If you can't pronounce an ingredient, don't eat it. Good luck with your health. It isn't easy in a society where profligate eating is encouraged and consequences of such eating are denied.
Lemur:
It's called control and responsibilty. It's something liberals can get a grasp of.
Be patriotic? Please leave me alone with that. I was pretty sure nationalized heathcare would lead to the gov't telling us what to do on an ever more outragious manner.
I have no problem with Meatless Mondays and state and city governments can sit around and debate and pass resolutions about that and whatever else they want....but they need to do it after they do what they were hired (or voted in) to do. I don't get to sit around and surf the web, or work on my own projects at work...neither should they.
Meatless Mondays will be a reality and will include many other days of the week, due to the way the economy is going and will continue for the forseeable future. Give Obama a free hand and he, Michelle and their daughters will be the only ones eating meat 7 days a week.
We'll all be healthier if we're eating unprocessed foods, more produce, and walking more. However, the Obamas are lean. You can imagine that they're gluttons, but while you're at, imagine that a unicorn lives under your bed.
Michelle is lean? Hahahahaha...Looks like she's indulged in the azz-end of a cow a few too many times.
Look at her waist. Look at her belly. Look at her shoulders. Look at her arms. Her buttocks is genetic.
Make that Kobe beef at $105/lb., all on our dime.
Great, another nannystate idea from the land of fruits nuts and vegetables. Your state is absolutely broke and businesses are leaving in droves but the only thing your politicians can be concerned about is what they can coerce people to eat! The sooner this country's failed government collapses the better so we can start over with some common sense again.