As part of a revolutionary New Green Deal signed into law by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio yesterday, sweeping changes with how the city will consume meat are kicking in, with the intent of improving the weather and “course-correcting” the climate. The law phases out the amount of meat served within city-controlled agencies such as hospitals, schools, and correctional facilities. In the coming years, the mayor plans to reduce the purchase of beef by 50 percent and completely remove processed meat from menus served at such facilities. “You’re not going to find climate deniers in New York City because we suffered through (Hurricane) Sandy. We also believe the estimates that tell us that we have only 12 years to get it right. Let’s be clear, we have until 2030 to change things fundamentally, or our lives won’t be the same,” de Blasio said in an Earth Day event yesterday celebrating the new legislation for the city.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, who happens to be vegan himself, celebrated the new law. “I’m in for a Green New Deal. From grassroots advocates, who have been sounding the environmental alarm for decades, to my fellow local elected colleagues, our shared mission is to make aggressive moves that combat the climate change crisis threatening the very existence of our planet,” Adams said. “I am particularly thrilled that this City has taken up our mantle to reduce our overconsumption of meat through the phasing out of processed meat purchasing and the reduction of beef purchasing; make no mistake, addressing the carbon-intensive activity of meat production is a sustainable solution for the health of our bodies and our planet alike. Nearly 50 years after the first Earth Day celebration, the clock is ticking on our ability to secure a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.” Adams announced earlier that he plans to run for office of Mayor in 2021. In 2017, Adams worked with de Blasio to implement “Meatless Mondays” at 15 schools in Brooklyn, a program the mayor expanded to all 1,700 public schools in New York City this March.
According to PETA, “Raising animals for food requires massive amounts of land, food, energy, and water and causes immense animal suffering. Globally, animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gases than all the world’s transportation systems combined.” Leaders like de Blasio and Adams believe by drastically reducing New Yorker’s consumption of meat will lead to positive changes to local weather and global climate.
New York City’s New Green Deal brings sweeping changes to the Big Apple across a variety of industries. The law bans classic glass and steel skyscrapers from being built while also changing healthcare in the city. “New York City will also guarantee health care for every New Yorker, to create the universal coverage for uninsured New Yorkers, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status,” the Mayor said.
