Memo of Opposition to New York City's Resolution 0379 - Meatless Mondays
A Meat and Dairy Industries Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM Elizabeth Forel
June 2019

According to this, it is acceptable for someone to eat cheese, milk, butter and eggs on Monday just as long as they do not eat beef, chicken, pork, lamb, etc. – and to eat anything they want for the other six days – giving them the false impression that they are doing good for the planet and their own health.

Although Meatless Mondays began during the Second World War, it is a feel-good idea that does little actual good.

The resolution claims that not eating meat only one day a week can “reduce the risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.“

This is doubtful. According to this, it is acceptable for someone to eat cheese, milk, butter and eggs on Monday just as long as they do not eat beef, chicken, pork, lamb, etc. – and to eat anything they want for the other six days – giving them the false impression that they are doing good for the planet and their own health. It is essentially giving tacit approval to the exploitation of animals, the destruction of our environment and allowing people to ignore their own health for six days a week.

Of course, the barbaric treatment of animals raised for food is not even mentioned in this resolution. There is nothing about the mass suffering of animals, their confinement and slaughter – human’s inhumanity to nonhuman animals. No – it is primarily directed to people who mistakenly think they will prevent a heart attack or stroke by not eating hamburgers on Monday – or the fatty steak that they will just save until Tuesday when they will likely gorge.

This resolution also claims that your carbon footprint will be reduced. Again that is doubtful. One day is not going to make any difference. It’s like telling people to shut their lights off for a few hours and it will save the environment. At this rate, climate change will have killed off our planet. Drastic, serious measures need to be taken if we are to save our earth.

According to the UN, animal agriculture is the number one cause of climate change. We need to get real about this issue.

Please take the time to view COWSPIRACY, a 2013 documentary on the dangers of animal agriculture and how the government and Big Ag tries to hide it.

Please read:

Surprise!

According to a new report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18 percent – than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation.

As it stands, this is a toothless campaign. However, it could be a way to introduce new ideas to a public that claims to love animals but is not educated about animal suffering and the devastation of our environment – or in many cases, their own health. Don’t demand or legislate that people cannot eat something or must eat something else. Educate.

Gary Francione, a well-known vegan activist, advocated for a Vegan Monday. I do not necessarily support that for the reasons listed above. Another talks about challenging people to eat plant based food for one month.

These are better ideas than the Meatless Mondays campaign that now stands. Don’t be afraid to promote plant based diets; compassion for animals; ethics. The City Council has more combined influence and power than any individual.



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