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Los Angeles, California became the largest city in the United States to endorse "Meatless Mondays"...an initiative aimed at getting people to skip eating meat one day a week.

According to the movement's website, "Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel."

Councilwoman Jan Perry, who introduced the motion with Councilman Ed Reyes said in their introduction to the bill, "We can reduce saturated fats and reduce the risk of heart disease by 19%. While this is a symbolic gesture, it is asking people to think about the food choices they make. Eating less meat can reverse some of our nation’s most common illnesses.”

The bill was unanimously approved by the city council to in order to “support of comprehensive sustainability efforts as well as to further encourage residents to eat a more varied plant-based diet to protect their health and protect animals.”

“The issue is, how does a local municipality engage in this and how do we create change?” Reyes said, according to the Meatless Monday website. “If we do it one plate at time, one meal, one day, we are ratcheting down the impact on our environment. We start with one day a week and then, who knows, maybe we can change our habits for a lifetime.”

In July of this year, the USDA was forced by industry backlash to reverse a stance it made to endorse Meatless Mondays. TheBlaze reported at the time: “This move by USDA should be condemned by anyone who believes agriculture is fundamental to sustaining life on this planet,” said J.D. Alexander, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

The agency proposed the meatless initiative in an online newsletter to employees about “greening” efforts.

LA’s Meatless Monday resolution follows other cities across the U.S., including Washington, D.C., San Francisco, CA and Durham-Raleigh, NC.

Do you think going without meat once a week is a good idea?