Al Gore, long an opponent of the meat industry, has adopted a vegan diet. For whatever reason, he was keeping it quiet. But thanks to some sharp reporting at the Washington Post, we now know the former vice president-turned-activist won't be partaking in the turkey this Thanksgiving.
Gore first let slip that he'd given up animal products in a Forbes article over the weekend, in which a discussion of his plans to invest in a plant-based egg-replacement company included mention that he was a "newly turned vegan." An "individual familiar with Gore's decision" confirmed that he made the dietary switch several months back. The rest is left to speculation:
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.
...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.
"Overconsumption and overproduction of meat has given rise to the factory farm, which has put huge threats on the planet and our health," Prescott wrote. "Whether it’s the whole Clinton/Gore ticket being vegan now, Oprah promoting meat-free eating, Bill Gates backing plant-based foods or the rise of Meatless Mondays, it’s clear that the way we farm and eat is shifting toward a better model."
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