LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Having already declared war on trans-fats and fast-food restaurants, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted on Nov. 9 to adopt a resolution requesting residents take a personal pledge to have a “meatless Monday,” reports the Los Angeles Daily News. Although this move does not have the force of law, city officials hope it will start a trend, make residents healthier and reduce the impact on the environment, the article relayed.

Councilwoman Jan Perry, who has called for a ban on new fast-food restaurants in South Los Angeles to fight obesity, pointed out this move followed the ‘good food' agenda the council recently adopted supporting local, sustainable food choices. "We can reduce saturated fats and reduce the risk of heart disease by 19 percent," Perry said.

One son of Councilman Ed Reyes, who co-proposed the resolution, has been diagnosed with diabetes. "The issue is how does a local municipality engage in this and how do we create change," Reyes said. "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."

Los Angeles’ Food Policy Council, which has a goal of "creating more and better food jobs" and encouraging food companies and small food enterprises as part of a bigger agenda to encourage healthy foods in the city, developed the proposal.