IF IT'S MONDAY, IT MUST BE MEATLESS

A tasty source of protein, avocados are plentiful and  and inexpensive at this time of the year.

My family and I are not major meat eaters. Nevertheless we have just joined  the Meatless Monday movement and we are asking our town and the local university to consider doing the same. At a time when some political figures pollute the air space with claims that global warming is a myth created by liberals, we feel that it is important to take to take action.Even though we take the size of our carbon footprint seriously and try to reduce it whenever we can,  there is much more that we need to do. We need to more in order to green  the community and the local university.  

If  studies done in New Zealand are correct, our Great Dane's carbon footprint is four times larger than that of a Toyota Land Cruiser. How large is ours? We read recently that every time we do a  Google search we use up energy sufficient to brew three cups of tea. We are great Googlers  and we  shudder to think of the many ways in which we squander non-renewable resources.

Giving up meat once a week is an easy thing to do.   At the tri-state area we have access to a great variety of inexpensive legumes, nuts and protein rich fruit such as avocados. We live in a rural area where  farmers are glad to provide  the goat and sheep's milk with we use to make cheese. 
Folks in Tel Aviv, Ghent and Sao Paulo agree that going meatless on Monday  is easy peasy. Won't you?

Here are some reasons why it is a good move,

Environmental Benefits

• REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide . . . far more than transportation.[3] And annual worldwide demand for meat continues to grow. Reining in meat consumption once a week can help slow this trend.
• MINIMIZE WATER USAGE. The water needs of livestock are tremendous, far above those of vegetables or grains. An estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef.[4] Soy tofu produced in California requires 220 gallons of water per pound.[5]
• HELP REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCE. On average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S.[6] Compare this to the 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy needed to produce one calorie of plant-based protein.[7] Moderating meat consumption is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand.

UPDATE: We have approached Town Council Persons Wanda Grantham and Jim Ford   in hopes that they will suggest that Shepherdstown and Shepherd University join in.