Al Gore goes vegan, with little fanfare

[undeterred]

Maybe it was something about what they served in the White House mess in the 1990s. Or perhaps it's what happens to baby boomer Democrats more than a decade after leaving office. For whatever the reason former vice president Al Gore has gone vegan, just like the president with whom he once served.

Gore's recent decision to forgo animal products surfaced as an offhand reference in a Forbes magazine piece about Hampton Creek Foods, an upscale vegan product line carried in Whole Foods. Ryan Mac's article, which posted Saturday, chronicled how wealthy investors including Bill Gates, Tom Steyer and Vinod Khosla have poured money into the company, which hopes to take down the U.S. egg industry with offerings such as a plant-base mayonnaise.

"Newly turned vegan Al Gore is also circling," Mac writes. An individual familiar with Gore's decision, who asked not to be identified because it involved a personal matter, confirmed that Gore opted a couple of months ago to become vegan. Gore's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It is unclear why Gore, one of the nation's most visible climate activists, has given up dairy, poultry and meat products. People usually become vegan for environmental, health or ethical reasons, or a combination of these three factors.

Bill Clinton explained in a 2011 interview with CNN’s Sanjay Gupta that he adopted a vegan diet primarily for health considerations. Known for consuming a high-fat cuisine while in office, Clinton -- who was 65 at the time -- said he realized he had “played Russian roulette” with his health for too long, and that since making the switch, “I feel good, and I also have, believe it or not, more energy.” The Humane Society of the United States food policy director Matthew Prescott noted in an e-mail that industrial farm operations are major sources of nutrient pollution, and contribute significantly to the nation's greenhouse gas emissions.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/11/25/al-gore-goes-vegan-with-little-fanfare/?Post+generic=%3Ftid%3Dsm_twitter_washingtonpost

[NuclearDem]

1. Well, good to know.

Still perturbed by calling Clinton a vegan while he still eats salmon and omelets...

[Duckhunter935]

2. OK

Good for him if he wants to he can

[KoKo]

3. Nice that the 1% can afford to go Vegan...while the rest of America has

to do Convenience Meals when one works two and three jobs.

I guess it's good news for Whole Foods and such and the 1% who can afford to have chefs and maids and such who can keep them Vegan. But, most overworked Americans have little ability to keep or afford such a lifestyle. Because...it takes a lot of work and energy..unless one wants to eat RAMEN NOODLES 24/7.

It Smacks of "ELITISM" to me.

[NuclearDem]

4. I'm hardly part of the 1% and I'm vegan.

In fact, I have a whole network of friends who are either college students or broke college graduates and who're vegan as well.

Unless PB&J, salad, pasta, bananas, rice and corn are somehow elitist now. Being vegan doesn't mean shopping for fad foods at Whole Foods. It means avoiding eating animal products, which is as simple as spreading peanut butter on a piece of bread.

[Silent3]

8. It's certainly not necessary to be rich to be vegan, but I'll bet that being rich...

...makes it a lot easier, a lot tastier, and provides a lot more satisfying variety. Many (certainly not all, but many) less well-to-do vegans aren't being all that healthy with the way they eat.

[NuclearDem]

9. I can't necessarily argue with that.

But it's the same with rich omnivores vs. poor omnivores as well. They can afford the pricier and healthier foods and better medical care anyway.

It's certainly difficult being in the 99% no matter what.

[Fawke Em]

14. I always cringe when I see the Food Network cheerlead

the eating of rare meat.

Yeah, sure, if you can afford that fresh, small-farm-raised, super expensive organic meat.

BUT, with god-knows-what in our meat supply at the average supermarket, advocating anything less than medium well is a recipe (no pun intended) for botulism or other food-born diseases.

[NuclearDem]

17. The Food Network is just porn for people who like to cook.

Looks great, extremely satisfying to watch, but completely unrealistic and very difficult to do on your own.

[bluestate10]

24. Actually. Organic meat is potentially more dangerous than mass produced meat for the

two issues that you raised at the end of your final paragraph. The reason is that most mass produced meat is loaded with anti-bodies and growth stimulators due to how the meat is raised. Anti-bodies make mass produced meat more resistant to organism growth. Outbreaks that impact human health generally happen due to poor processing and/or handling of mass produced meat, not to natural changes in the meat after it has been harvested.

Organic meat is raised without anti-bodies. Organic meat safety depends upon strict processing and handling discipline and transport and storage at temperatures that prevent decay and/or organism growth. One mistake at any point can sicken and/or kill people that consume bad meat.

Numerically more outbreaks occur among mass produced meat. Statistically, mass produced meat has a lower propensity to cause illness in the absence of sloppy processing and or handling that leaves residue on the meat that is eaten by people that don't do a proper job of washing the meat before cooking it.

[Silent3]

21. Since I hardly ever cook anything, I can only speak about what I've heard from others...

...which is that vegan cooking and baking takes more time and effort than comparable omnivorous food preparation when you're trying to get enough protein and other nutrients, not to mention trying for some satisfying variety and flavor. Some vegan ingredients, especially when one is trying to go organic as well as vegan, can get a bit expensive, even relative to meat, eggs, and dairy products.

[bluestate10]

28. The big problem with organic food is the expense. The expense is REAL, despite what

people that decry mass produced food claim. And organic potato costs 30% more than a non-organic potato. An organic, pure fruit drink costs 2-3 times what a fruit drink that is mass produced costs. Large numbers of people won't start buying organic products unless the cost of those products drop, period.

There are some reality based people in the organic food industry who understand that unless the price of organically grown produce and meat drop closer to mass produced produce and meat, organic products will continue to be affordable by a thin slice of privileged people, OR by those that allocate money to buying those products, regardless of the wealth level of those people. Some producers are utilizing or investigating growing techniques that allow them to remain organic certified, but produce at a price that communities that don't normally have access to those products can afford to buy.

[JDPriestly]

39. I don't know whether people will go all the way vegan, but I expect more people

to begin eating more vegetables in the future. Veggies and quick and easy vegetable dishes will become less expensive as time passes and more and more people pick them over meat.

I eat meat and vegetables but use meat for flavoring and therefore use small quantities of it, primarily chicken and turkey. I also eat cheese and an occasional egg. I think more people will eat like I do as time goes on.

[snooper2]

48. Once you give this up nothing is really as tasty ever again

[liberal_at_heart]

29. I'm trying to eat more fruits and vegetables and I am not having an easy time.

I'm near my forties and have a genetic mutation that puts me at risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Plus I am a sugar addict and am overweight. So, I am buying things like kale, spinach, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, and berries. Not everybody in my family is on the same diet I am on. I still have to buy other things for other people in the house. Plus we all still eat meat. I cooked beef and bean burritos tonight with a salad and some pineapple. Just because some people have an easy time affording these things doesn't mean everybody does.

[NuclearDem]

45. That's great!

I know it's not possible for everyone in every situation to go vegan, but it is great to see people trying to eat healthy.

[LeftyMom]

5. I'm sorry, that's just dumb.

Unprocessed plant foods are mostly cheap, and generally much faster to cook than meat.

Plant protein is cheaper than animal protein, and several times more so if you're buying organic.

[KoKo]

7. It's nice you can afford Organic and can cook between your multiple jobs

Good for you! And good for your choice. But, it doesn't work out for many Americans in these times to have those choices available to them, nor to have the wherewithall to do this given their location in America, preferences and their circumstances.

[LeftyMom]

13. I have a pound of lentils in the crock pot. They're organic. They cost me $1.19

Oh my god I'm so wealthy and privileged. I could have saved a whopping ten cents by buying the non-organic ones!

I've been vegan for over a decade and I'm so far from a 1%er it's not even funny.

[KoKo]

18. My point was you have TIME to do that...but, many these days don't.

If you are a working family with kids...not everyone is going to eat the lentils for $1.19
for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

I personally would be fine with that most days of the week...because I love lentils...but, it's just not practical for seven days a week for working families and kids. And, even though I'd be fine...I still work part time and that isn't an option for me with clients and work schedule and if I had school aged children I couldn't pack that up in a lunch box every day. Some restaurants and Fast Foods do offer Vegan..these days and so it gets easier...but, just isn't practical for so many. We have to hope that Vegan/Organic continues to grow...but Al Gore and Bill Clinton being heroes for this when it's so easy for them to do seemed sort of funny and a bit "in your face" as a prescription for Average Americans going through hard times with little time to do "Meal Planning" for Vegan lifestyle these days.

Just Saying PEACE

[LeftyMom]

20. The time to dump lentils and water in the crock pot?

Look, I'm a single mom. I work long hours. I'm not wealthy. You're barking up the wrong fucking tree.

[JDPriestly]

40. Have any good tips on recipes? I love lentils, but I love red and black beans even more.

[bluestate10]

30. I can prepare, and cook chicken in about 20 minutes. There is no vegetable that I prepare

and cook that I can prepare as fast. Grains and beans take much longer than meat. I don't eat beef much any more, but even with beef, I could have a burger or steak ready in maybe fifteen minutes.

[LeftyMom]

32. If it takes you more than 20 minutes to make most vegetables you're overcooking them.

[REP]

35. I can steam a lot of Brussels sprouts in about six minutes

I do it the microwave, and they come out great. Even my husband - not naturally vegetable-friendly - snarfs them down so I have to cook a lot of them.

Chicken, on the other hand, I cook far longer than 20 minutes, even though I buy only non-factory farmed meat. Chickens can naturally harbor salmonella, even if they're raised in a clean, humane environment. My chickens, who are free-range and a little spoiled (and not for eating) could possibly be carriers since they are chickens, so no raw eggs are eaten.

[JDPriestly]

41. Yes. I cook vegetables in the microwave (but not dried beans), and it takes me up to an hour

to cook chicken, usually at least a half an hour to 40 minutes. I don't want to take my chances on chicken.

[dionysus]

25. no your post smacks of bitterness. nt

[bluestate10]

33. I didn't see the post that way, and I didn't agree with it.

Food is something that people are passionate about. I have gotten to the point where I no longer eat food that I once felt that I couldn't do without. My salt intake in incredibly low. But I needed time to get to where I am, most people right or wrong, don't take time to change and stick with those changes for the months or years that bringing them to fruition takes.

[flvegan]

36. Are you saying that anyone outside of the 1% cannot afford to go vegan?

Sounds like it, upon which I'd call ignorance.

Nutrition isn't elitism.

[kestrel91316]

37. That's a complete crock of BS. I am poor as a church mouse and

I eat a very healthy vegan diet. I'm just not allergic to my kitchen.

I have a crock pot. I USE it. I have a knife and cutting board - I USE them. I have an oven - I USE it. I have a large stockpot - I USE it.

I can get by on a monthly food budget of under $100 if I have to, and eat healthy in the process.

[JDPriestly]

42. Crock pots are great. I just love mine. The food gets so tasty. I microwave a lot of vegetables

to keep them from being overdone.

[Warren Stupidity]

52. that is really silly.

You don't have to be rich to be vegan. Actually not buying meat dairy and eggs will save you money. Indeed avoiding a fast food burger diet will require a bit more time. But not a whole lot more time.

[Aristus]

6. "I Ate A Vegan", by Seattle locals Afraid Of Figs.

It's just a funny song; not anti-progressive at all. The band are really neat guys, funny, and liberal.

Good for old Al...

[RobertEarl]

10. I like animals

They taste good.

But they fart. And stink.

Any left-mined environmentalist who considers what animal farming contributes to climate change does consider limiting how many bloody animal pieces they eat. Don't get me started, tho, about flying on airplanes.

[frazzled]

11. How would one go vegan WITH fanfare?

Taking out a full-page ad in the New York Times? "I'm going vegan!"
Erecting a series of billboards across America's highways?
Renting out a Las Vegas nightclub and having Wayne Newton sing about it while sequinned showgirls strut around?

Just wondering. Not about Al Gore going vegan (though, it does occur to me that when Al Gore does it, it may be going out of style), but about how stupid blogs on the Washington Post can actually get.

[NuclearDem]

12. Well, maybe it's veganism not being all "mysterious" anymore

Or given his environmental positions, everyone assuming he was vegan already.

[undeterred]

15. Its kind of funny that its taken Al Gore so long to adopt a diet

that is consistent with his beliefs. I seem to remember a post here several years ago that was something like "Why isn't Al Gore a Vegetarian?"

Little fanfare because probably a lot of people assumed he already was vegetarian or vegan a long time ago.

Vegan Fanfare... lots of raw vegetables.

[frazzled]

27. I never assumed it

Mostly, because I sort of think you don't get that heavy (to put it politely) on a vegan diet.

I'm not sure where the vegan aspect has all that much environmental impact. Milk and cheese and eggs can be gotten with relatively little carbon footprint (from certain local, carefully produced sources). It's not like the production of seitan or soy milk has no environmental impact. Indeed, this article asks a lot of relevant questions about the milk cow vs. soy issue: http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_green_lantern/2008/07/cows_or_beans.html

Still: the fanfare issue is not resolved. What people eat should never be accompanied by "fanfare."

Disclosure: while I understand vegetarianism (both my kids are vegetarians, and although I am not, I daresay I prepare and eat more vegetables than almost all the vegetarians I know), I'm not a fan of veganism, either for environmental or health reasons.

[bluestate10]

34. Some people can't tolerate "lots of raw vegetables" for most meals.

Which produces the most methane, one cow that 20 people can have a meal from, or 20 people that eat only vegetables every day? You likely will put down my question, but it is one that people that want all other people to give up meat must consider.

[Brickbat]

46. I thought the same thing! Ain't much more fanfare than a story in the Washington Post!

[Pretzel_Warrior]

16. Good for him. More meat for me!

[Coyotl]

19. Maybe little fanfare because he is a cattle rancher. Gore's family ranch raises registered angus.

[NightWatcher]

22. a write up in the Post sounds like quite a bit of fanfare

Did he sprain his shoulder trying to pat himself on the back?




I took out the recycling tonight, where's my article in the paper?

[KoKo]

23. Well...that's a good point. Why do we care if Al has gone Vegan...

Honestly...I don't know...

[dionysus]

26. you obviously do. nt

[Major Hogwash]

43. Q: What do vegans have for Thanksgiving?

A: Regrets

[NuclearDem]

49. Or if you're like me, a triple cheese sausage pasta penne made with soy and rice substitutes

Oatmeal cookies, brown rice and corn.

Beats the hell out of any turkey I've ever had.

[flvegan]

31. LOL! Defensive omnivore bingo anyone?

[Warren Stupidity]

53. Here you go:

[freshwest]

38. Good for him, Bill looks great. The older one gets, one has to be more gentle on one's body by diet.

[indie9197]

44. Bill Clinton and Al Gore are both vegans?

That is tough to do unless one has very strong ethical convictions. No butter, milk, cheese, honey to eat. Plus no more leather and silk to wear. Somehow I doubt it.

[whopis01]

50. Bill Clinton is definitely not a vegan.

Despite numerous articles that claim he is. It is kind of weird actually - I have seen articles that refer to him going vegan and eating fish in the same article.

[cali]

47. or because it's trendy. that's another reason people go vegan

and no, I'm NOT attributing that motive to Gore.

[NCTraveler]

51. Google Gore and Vegan...

Doesn't look like little fanfare. Not sure why they would even fashion it in such a way. Good for Gore. While it is not my cup of tea, I can see the overall benefits of such a diet.