As you may know, we have a little obesity epidemic here in the U.S. There's been some debate over how to handle the problem—parents are getting arrested, schools are issuing fat report cards, billboards are being erected, and even Spider-Man is getting involved.

Now, the Baltimore City Public School System has taken a page from Sir Paul McCartney's playbook in its efforts to fight childhood obesity: "Meatless Mondays." Instead of serving greasy, fat-laden hamburgers and "chicken fingers," school cafeterias in Baltimore will be dishing up fresh, organically grown fruits and veggies and eliminating meat completely every Monday.

blog.peacefulplaygrounds / CC

For its dedication to providing healthy meals for students, PETA is awarding the school system our Proggy Award. Congratulations, Baltimore public schools!

Meatless Mondays not only provide healthier meals for students but also help protect the environment and save animals' lives. PETA's humane-education division, TeachKind, will be working to implement this program in schools across the country—but remember, you don't have to be in school to incorporate Meatless Mondays into your own life.

Written by Liz Graffeo

When we heard that an elementary school in Windsor, Connecticut, was holding a yard sale to raise funds to spruce up its dilapidated playground, we saw a perfect opportunity pitch in—by paying to place our ads reading, "Tot teetering on obesity? Go Veg!" on the school's seesaws.

Our letter to the principal points out that kids who munch on chicken nuggets, fish sea kitten sticks, and pepperoni pizza face myriad health problems, including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. For fat kids, our ad can turn recess, all too often a time of ridicule, into a chance to learn about how they can slim down and save their animal friends at the same time.

It's a no-brainer, really. When our paid ads are placed on playgrounds, everyone wins—schools, kids, and animals!

Written by Karin Bennett