Pratt offers herbivore-friendly potluck

Faculty and students from the Pratt School of Engineering have begun a “Meatless Monday” meal, featuring home-cooked vegan and vegetarian foods.

The first potluck-style meal was held Feb. 1, offering a range cuisine for meat-eaters and veggie-lovers alike to try. In removing meat from one’s diet for the event, one can reduce his or her carbon footprint while engaging in a communal event where anyone can showcase his or her culinary prowess. The lunch was held at the Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences.

Pratt is the second school on campus to sponsor meatless meals. The Nicholas School began the first meatless potlucks on campus last summer.

According to an article in Duke Today, food from livestock is responsible for approximately 18 percent of carbon emissions worldwide. This means that if Americans did not eat meat for one day a week, it would equal taking 19.2 million cars off the roads for a year.

Although the next “Meatless Monday” has not been scheduled yet, it is expected to occur monthly. Updates are available at the “Pratt Sustainability” blog.