T

he Indonesia Vegetarian Society (IVS) called for the implementation of a meat-free Monday campaign in the city to improve the health of residents as well as to help save the environment.

IVS Jakarta coordinator Roeddy Zeng said the organization had conveyed its plans to the governor in
the hope that the city administration would respond after the 39th World Vegetarian Congress that is scheduled to be held in Jakarta in early October.

“We hope the program would be a good start to promote a vegetarian lifestyle among urban residents,” Roeddy said, adding that the program was expected to help not only people but also the environment.

A 2006 report by the UN Food and Agricultural Organization showed that livestock were a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing 18 percent of total emissions, higher than the 13.5 percent from the transportation sector.

Under IVS’ plan, the city administration would promote the program among students and workers in government institutions in the capital.

The campaign was endorsed by the city councils of numerous countries around the world, including Ghent (Belgium), Sao Paolo, Bremen (Germany) and San Francisco. The campaign is part of a drive to slow global warming by reducing emissions from farm animals.

Roeddy said some schools in Jakarta — including Santa Maria elementary school in Juanda, Central Jakarta, and Vianney School in
West Jakarta — were carrying out the program.

“Why Monday? Because some of us gorge over the weekend so Monday is the best time for us to reduce our food portions,” he said.

IVS chief operations officer Susianto said the organization also planned to expand the campaign nationwide.

“We will launch a national campaign in November with the Health Ministry and other ministries,” he said.

Vegetarianism has been a growing trend in last three years in the country as well as in the capital.

IVS had 5,000 members when it was first established in 1998, but now claims to have a membership base of more than 200,000 people across Indonesia.

Indonesia is home of 1 million vegetarians, 30 percent of them in Jakarta.

The growing trend is evident in the number of vegetarian restaurants in the capital. There are currently more than 600 vegetarian restaurants in Jakarta, 10 times higher than in 1998.

Susianto said more people were becoming vegetarian, and not for spiritual reasons anymore, but for health and environmental concerns.

“What we need is to communicate this way of life to people so they understand the benefit of becoming vegetarian,” he said, adding that he hoped that the campaign would be a good start to get the message across.