Minnesota students push for Meatless Mondays

MINNEAPOLIS — Some University of Minnesota students are urging campus to wipe its dining halls completely free of chicken, pork, beef and all other meats for one day each week.

The small group started a petition late last month asking the University’s Dining Services to go meat-free on Mondays by 2015, following an international campaign to address the health and environmental effects of meat production.

As of press time, 57 people had signed the petition.

“Meatless Monday” is a global movement that encourages people to reduce their consumption of meat by 15 percent in hopes of improving not only their health, but also the planet’s well-being.

The petition argues that because students living in residence halls are required to purchase a meal plan, they should have access to plant-based main courses at least once a week.

Currently, Pioneer Hall participates in Meatless Mondays. All dining halls currently offer vegan and vegetarian selections, according to the Housing and Residential Life website.

University Dining Services was not available for comment after multiple requests, but student activists said UDS told them it’s open to discussing the option.

Fishery, wildlife and biology junior Kealy Porter said if the movement gains more traction, supporters want to present the campaign at dining hall tables to educate students on the importance of going meat-free.

“We want people to start thinking about their health and what they are eating,” she said.

Diets heavy in red and processed meat increase health issues like heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and certain cancers, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The petition also discusses the negative environmental impacts of excessive meat consumption, saying that “as an institution that prides itself of being a frontrunner in research, the University of Minnesota should be aware of the detrimental global effects