WaPo: Al Gore goes vegan, with little fanfare

[LeftyMom]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/11/25/al-gore-goes-vegan-with-little-fanfare/


Al Gore goes vegan, with little fanfare

By Juliet Eilperin

November 25 at 7:39 pm

(Reuters)

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.

continues at link

[CFLDem]

1. Um... Yay?

[LeftyMom]

3. Note which group this was posted in.

[CFLDem]

5. Still I don't see how this is surprising.

In fact it should be disappointing he didn't go vegan earlier.

[RobertEarl]

2. Say what?

"People usually become vegan for environmental, ..."

But says the author....

"It is unclear why Gore, one of the nation's most visible climate activists, has given up ...."

Does not the author of this article get that climate change IS Gore's #1 environmental issue?

[LeftyMom]

4. It's responsible reporting not to assign motives in the absence of evidence.

At his age (and weight) a health motivation wouldn't exactly be a surprise.

[gtar100]

6. Little fanfare? Nobody did an article in a newspaper when I went vegan.

I'd say that's a bit of fanfare for Al. Seriously, though, good on Al Gore. It's also a great step in not partaking in an industry that causes not just sickening abuse of animals but also plays an overwhelming part in environmental destruction and pollution. Glad he's decided to take the plunge. I'm sure he'll enjoy it quite a bit.

[PDittie]

7. How much fanfare does this warrant?

Poor headline. And as others have indicated, a poorly-thought-out news article.

I'm happy for Al and veganism, bu this isn't quite a Paul on the road to Damascus moment.

[byronius]

8. Right on, President Gore.

The number of vegans is doubling every year, and for good reason -- because it feels good.