Pittsburgh City Council Adopts Meatless Monday

This week, seven out of nine city council members in Pittsburgh, PA have pledged to go meatless on Mondays. The council members worked with local animal-rights organization Humane Action Pittsburgh which convinced the officials that ditching meat, even for one day per week, would set a good example for Pittsburgh residents. Pittsburgh’s mayor Bill Peduto took the pledge last year, and Humane Action’s current campaign helped councilwoman Darlene Harris’ entire staff get on board with Meatless Mondays. “We hope that council will eventually consider this pledge a first step in promoting more ethical dietary habits,” Humane Action’s Vice President Natalie Ahwesh tells VegNews. Ahwesh has provided council members with a guide to vegan dining options in the city to inspire them to continue their path toward more ethical dietary choices. “We are trying to make Pittsburgh the model humane city. This means more compassionate living towards animals and our environment.” Argentine officials recently took the “Meatless Monday” idea a step further and implemented a “Vegan Monday” program where all 554 government officials—including the country’s President Mauricio Macri—will dine only on plant-based foods in the Casa Rosada (the country’s equivalent to the White House) cafeteria one day per week.