Editor:

I would like to thank The Aspen Club and Spa for hosting our Aspen Meatless Monday Community Dinner last Monday evening. The staff was incredibly supportive and the event would not have happened without Erin Robinson, director of marketing.

About 45 people turned out for the event in spite of the threatening rain clouds. The wide array of meat-free dishes that were brought by participants were amazing.

I would also like to acknowledge the generosity of our speakers. Dr. Jim Ehrlich who spoke about the cutting edge preventive and diagnostic screening services he will be offering at his new clinic, Aspen Preventative Health. We are fortunate as a community to have him here.

Joe Maxwell, director of rural outreach for the Humane Society of the United States gave an impassioned talk. He is a fourth-generation rancher and spoke about why reducing meat consumption is important and that by observing meatless Monday you can help the planet, yourself and the animals. We should refine our choices of meat, dairy, and eggs to include only those produced by local ranchers who do not use antibiotics, growth hormones and use humane animal practices. When you go to a restaurant, ask where your food comes from. We want to take factory-farmed meat off our plates.

Meatless Monday, is a national nonprofit public health initiative that is focused on incorporating more vegetables and less meat into our diet. By eating vegetarian one day each week, meat consumption can be reduced by 15 percent, improving both our personal health and the health of the planet.

Dawn Shepard
Aspen