Meatless Monday!

Join the Ecology Club and participate in Meatless Monday, an international effort with a goal to encourage people to eat meat-free meals on Mondays to improve both their personal health and the Earth’s health. Eating just one meatless meal a week can even reduce your chances of developing diseases such as Type-2 Diabetes or obesity, which often go hand in hand. The idea of Meatless Monday was first introduced during World War I in an effort to reduce meat consumption which would help the war effort in terms of rationing food. The Ecology Club’s goal is to promote environmental awareness, as well as highlight ways we can create a healthier environment here at VSN.

It is thought that global mass consumption of animal foods is hurting our ecosystems and climate. Raising livestock, or meat products, for human consumption requires more land, water, and energy compared to growing plants. It takes the same amount of energy to produce one hamburger as it does to take 36 showers! Raising animals for food also requires massive amounts of plant crops to feed these animals. Beyond the resources required to raise animals for food, livestock such as cows emit large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas that greatly contributes to climate change. Skipping one serving of meat for 52 meals a year (only 1 meal a week!) saves the equivalent emissions of CO2 to driving 348 miles in a car! The Ecology Club members, along with advisor and science teacher Mrs. Restuccio, have been participating in Meatless Mondays for weeks now. There are many delicious meal ideas for a Meatless Monday such as:

1. Veggie burgers

2. Pasta and sauce

3. Smoothies

4. Grilled Cheese

5. Vegetable soup

6. Salads

7. Cereal

8. Pizza

9. Avocado toast

10. Chickpea meatloaf

11. Meat alternative sausage (like Beyond Meat) & peppers

We hope you will consider joining the Ecology Club in participating in Meatless Monday! Every small action by individuals, even if they don’t seem like they are doing very much, can lead to helping the environment in big ways if we do it together!