Green Monday at UW Medical Center: Steps Toward A Greener Diet!
The University of Washington Medical Center is excited to be joining a growing international initiative called Green Monday, and you’re invited!
Green Monday promotes small, easy changes that make a big impact on the environment and on our own personal health. We’re starting Green Monday by focusing on vegetarian options in the Plaza Café all week long. Whether you eat in the café or on your own, join us in going vegetarian one day a week!
Eating a more plant-based diet not only decreases risk of several chronic diseases such as heart disease, obesity, and certain cancers, but also significantly reduces our carbon footprint. Food production is one of the largest contributors to climate change, with animal agriculture creating more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation sector.
For each person who ‘goes green’ by not eating meat one day a week, we reduce CO2 production by 213kg, which is equal to the carbon absorption capacity of 9 trees. Choosing a plant-based diet and eating less meat not only decreases greenhouse gas emissions but also saves on water consumption, even more so than taking shorter showers.
We encourage your team to Go Green Monday by pledging to choose the Green Monday specials in the cafeteria once a week. The department that gathers the most Green Monday pledges will win the first annual departmental food-sustainability connection award.
Visit and like our Plaza Café Facebook page to get updates on weekly specials, events and featured items. You can also join our private Facebook group UWMC Nutrition to post photos and get updates on which department is doing the best job decreasing their “foodprint” by choosing the Green Monday special!
Charlotte Furman, MS, RD, CD, has experience as a clinical dietitian at the University of Washington Medical Center where she is currently the Technology and Wellness Manager. In her free time Charlotte enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, cooking delicious meals, and playing with her new dog, Scout.