5 Cities that Celebrate Meatless Mondays (And How You Can Too)

In the United States, there’s no question that consumers are getting it. Trends show that overall, Americans are eating less meat, and that’s good news for the animals, the environment and our health!

The Meatless Monday campaign has contributed significantly to helping people reduce their meat consumption as well as discover delicious meat-free meals to enjoy all week long.

And it’s not just consumers who are signing up for Meatless Mondays. Across the board, schools, hospitals, workplaces, celebrities—and even entire cities, are joining the movement!

Here’s how five US cities have embraced Meatless Mondays and are encouraging residents to participate:

San Francisco, California – In April 2010, San Francisco became the first U.S. city to approve a Meatless Monday resolution. The measure in San Francisco declares every Monday as “Vegetarian Day,” and it encourages

restaurants, grocery stores and schools to offer more meatless options.

Washington, D.C. – Following San Francisco’s lead, in June 2010, the city council in the nation’s capitol passed a “Meat-Free Monday” resolution, which highlights the benefits of adding more fruits and vegetables to

our diets and encourages residents to “abstain from animal products” at least one day a week. Several restaurants are showing their support, including Bread & Brew, which now offers a 100% meat-free menu every Monday.

Los Angeles, California – This past November, Los Angeles became the largest US city to adopt a “Meatless Monday” resolution encouraging “residents to eat a more varied plant-based diet to protect their health and protect animals.”  COK worked closely with the city council on this initial, which garnered significant media attention.

Councilman Ed Reyes, who co-introduced the resolution, stated that “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.”

Aspen, Colorado – With dozens of institutions and businesses participating—from restaurants to schools to hospitals—Aspen was recently named “the nation’s first true Meatless Monday community.” The goal of this community-wide effort, which officially launched in 2011, is to “demonstrate that at every point in the day, wherever you are, you can be good to your body and good to the planet.”

Triangle, North Carolina – Officially represented by three cities—Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill– the Triangle Meatless Monday campaign is a community-based initiative offering local online resources including recipes, a list of participating restaurants, area veg-friendly organizations, and information about the many benefits of choosing meat-free foods. You can join this effort by signing an online pledge, becoming a volunteer as well as voting for your favorite Meatless Monday restaurant. Visit TriangleMM.com for details.

Even if your city doesn’t (yet!) endorse Meatless Mondays, there are so many fun and simple ways you can get involved. Visit MeatlessMonday.com to find out who else participates, get community toolkits, and sign the official pledge (plus get others to sign up, too)!

Be sure to also visit TryVeg.com for recipe ideas and more information on vegetarian eating that you can share with friends and family.