The resolution, put forward by councillors Jan Perry and Ed Reyes, was passed by 12 votes to 0 on Friday, and will mean individuals, families, schools and businesses being encouraged to cut their meat consumption.
The council was convinced by the argument that industrial livestock production is putting the environment and people’s health in jeopardy – more than half the residents of Los Angeles County are obese or overweight.
Meat Free Monday had been voted on to the statute books “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,” according to the council.
With a population of about four million people, LA is by far the largest metropolis to adopt the campaign. Other MFM cities include San Francisco and Ghent in Belgium.
“Eating less meat can prevent and even reverse some of our nation’s most common illnesses,” said Councillor Perry. “We’ve become disconnected in some ways from the simple truth that our health is directly affected by the foods we eat.”
Reyes added that the “small changes we make every day can have a tremendous impact” on issues that may appear overwhelmingly large, such as global warming or the growing problem of obesity.