SF supervisors approve meat-free Mondays

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a meatless Monday resolution on Tuesday, sponsored by Supervisor Sophie Maxwell. The measure declares every Monday as "Vegetarian Day" and urges restaurants, grocery stores and schools to offer more plant-based options.

Maxwell is a vegetarian and she believes if residents gave up meat once a week, it would improve their health. Her resolution would not require meatless Mondays, but would encourage them.

It's part of an international campaign. Last year the city of Ghent, Belgium became the first with "official" weekly veggie days.

ABC7 talked with Carter Nguyen, behind the counter at Prather Ranch in the Ferry Building. Prather is known for high quality, certified organic beef. Carter dismissed the notion of a meat-free day, telling us he eats meat every day.

"Vegetarians aren't necessarily healthy themselves. They consume a lot of tofu, soy and corn based food products that make fake meat. That doesn't make sense to me," he said.

The Loving Hut is a vegan restaurant in Chinatown which proudly displays a "Meatless Monday" banner featuring Paul McCartney.

The former Beatle is among celebrity supporters of the concept. Yvonne Chow says going without meat helps reduce your carbon footprint, is healthy for you and humane for animals. She says "It makes you more loving".

San Francisco is the first American city to embrace meatless Monday.

A tourist from Los Angeles told ABC7 "I hope the idea doesn't catch on there."

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food, san francisco city hall, san francisco board of supervisors, san francisco news, carolyn tyler

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