A new policy at The View, Meatless Mondays, is part of Dining Services’ efforts to foster a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly dining program.

The initiative calls for The View to feature only meatless options for the main course on Mondays. Dining Services’ dietitian, Andrea Cossetta, said the reduction of meal options will improve health and reduce what she said is the harmful process of meat production.

“The way that animals are raised and produced right now (is not sustainable),” Cossetta said.

Cossetta believes the decrease in meat consumption during Meatless Mondays can help the industry improve its methods of meat production.

“Just here alone we serve 1,500 people for lunch and dinners, so I think that (going meatless once a week) can have an impact,” she said.

Cosetta said the movement to reduce meat consumption is spurred by a generation of individuals who have increased concern for the environment and sustainable food production.

Some students have already voiced concerns about the new menu, but Cossetta urged them to have an open mind and consider new options.

“Some of the options that we have…are meatless are things that (students) have been eating every single day, we just didn’t put the stamp on it,” she said. “Take grilled cheese, for example. That’s a vegetarian option, but we’ve never put the stamp on it saying ‘Meatless Monday option.’ They love it.”

Aside from helping the environment, Cossetta hopes the new menu will help students develop a more mindful approach to eating.

“It is a healthier option…people do all these studies about consuming meat (and how it affects your health),” Cossetta said. “Meat is a great source of protein, but it lacks all sorts of vitamins and minerals, the fiber that fruits and vegetables have, which is really good. Most people do not get those on a daily basis.”

Junior Marnie Sciamanda, an environmental science major, is excited about Meatless Mondays at The View and the impact it will have on the campus’ carbon footprint.

“Meat production, especially beef, has a lot of omissions that people don’t realize that industry is responsible for,” she said. “Just through the processing, shipping, methane being released from cows (and) other things like that.”

In addition to helping the environment, Sciamanda believes reducing meat consumption will free up space to produce more food for humans.

“An entire field of food for cows can’t be used for people,” Sciamanda said. “Which is obviously a problem because we’re running out of places to grow food for people.”

Sciamanda has high hopes for Meatless Mondays and encourages classmates to focus on the benefits to the environment.

“It should be a positive thing that is going to benefit our community by bringing more education and understanding,” she said.

Sciamanda also said students who don’t approve of the change can choose other options.

“If they don’t like it, go to Scooter’s,” she said.

Madeleine Ley can be reached at madeleine.ley@stthomas.edu