Believe it or not, Stanford's very own Herbert Hoover proposed the idea of Meatless Monday to ration food for the soldiers in WW1, and in attempt to save world hunger. 12 million Americans signed a pledge to participate, in 1 week New York alone save 97 tons of meat from being consumed. A few Facts why Meatless Monday shouldn't be taken so lightly:
Meat Production uses 50x more fossil fuels than the farming of vegetables.
Ranchers claim to use 1,800 gallons of water per pound of meat found in grocery stores.
With 5 million cows in California, is beef a major player in our never ending drought?
Herding of cattle requires 400% more farmland than its veggie counter parts.
What can we do?
Giving up meat 1 day a week can dramatically reduce your resource consumption and carbon footprint.
Try other forms of proteins: Nuts & seeds, Soy and Peas, Beans & Lentils.
Incorporate leaner meats like Fish & poultry in your diet.
There's no denying it, Meat is delicious! But are we really going to miss it if we eat it one less day a week? Challenge yourself, for this month: Test your willpower, take the pledge, and give Mondays back to the Veggies!
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