Baltimore City Public Schools First to Offer "Meatless Monday"
30 September 2009
by Anai Rhoads
AnaiRhoads.org -- Over 80,000 students attending Baltimore City Public Schools in Maryland will now be the first to eliminate all meat one day per week. The school system was awarded Tuesday by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) for its milestone.
Dr. Robert Lawrence, Director of the CLF and Dr. Michael Klag, Dean of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, presented the Center's 2009 Award for Visionary Leadership in Local Food Procurement and Food Education to Neil Duke, Chairman of Baltimore City Board of Schools and Tony Geraci, Director of Baltimore City Schools Department of Food and Nutrition.
While the programme only runs every Monday, it is considered a big step forward in helping children understand how meat can negatively affect their health.
"We are pleased to recognise the outstanding efforts by Baltimore City Public Schools for incorporating a Meatless Monday menu plan and bringing locally grown foods back into the lunchrooms," said Dr. Lawrence.
Staff from several schools in Baltimore have been working closely with local farmers to gather ideas on how to better help children understand the impact of how food transportation and how its carbon footprint affects our environment.
In addition to Meatless Monday, a host of other projects have been introduced, such as Great Kids Farm, where children will have the opportunity to grow their own food. More than 200 schools will soon be able have to their own little gardens.
"Meatless Monday can inspire people to understand there are other options than just 'meat and potatoes' for every meal," said Geraci, who hopes Baltimore can lead the country in reconnecting the next generation with food cultivation and preparation.
The campaign, which was initiated in 2003 with Dr. Robert Lawrence and Dean Alfred Sommer, has quickly become a growing international movement of individuals, organisations and communities. Eliminating our consumption of animals and their products is not only good for our health - but also makes a huge impact on our environment.
| 
