Oprah’s 21-Day Tryst with Veganism
May 27, 2008 by Gabrielle
Filed under Green Living
I can’t believe my parents didn’t call me about this one.
I’m not an Oprah fan, but don’t you dare try to pull mom or dad away from their TV at 4 p.m. on any given weekday. They love the Oprah. But they neglected to tell me that in an effort to eat “more consciously” that their favorite talk show host is eliminating animal products, caffeine, alcohol, bread and sugar for 21 days. Of course, she’ll chronicle her near-month experiment on her show and on a blog dedicated to it at www.Oprah.com. There are also recipes, meal plans and bulletin boards dedicated to the topic there.
How does Oprah’s eating relate to Daily Tomorrow? The Sierra Club’s Green Life blog makes the connection:
Raising animals for meat is one of the most environmentally destructive practices, according to a 2006 report published by the United Nations. The report calls raising animals for food “one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global.”
And we all know, what Oprah eats/wears/reads is the start of many a conversation. I know that I will now be able to broach the subject of sustainable living and eating better now with my parents. Why? Because it was on Oprah.
I’m not a vegan, but Michael and I are trying hard to follow Michael Pollan’s advice to Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. Oprah’s vegan adventure will perhaps open some die hard meat and potatoes eaters (ahem, dad) to try to add a little more green to their plates and, by default, to their daily living.
Image: Newscom
I wonder if this means she’ll stop wearing leather shoes? I think it sounds great, but it would be hard for me to do. I’m having a hard enough time adding more vegetables to my diet!
(from NaComLeavMo)
NaComLeavMo
Well I think it’s good if she opens some closed minds, I’m not a vegan, but, I can go weeks without eating anything higher up on the food chain then an egg, so I do spend many days eating vegan, because I actually like the food! I know, I’m a freak.
I am a vegetarian. One of the reasons is because of the environmental factor, and the treatment they get, but wow that Oprah is trying out veganism! So cool. I am sure it will be a trend now, just wait for it! Love your blog!
Here from NaComLeavMo
From nacom
I am also a vegetarian. Oprah is always on one kick or another. It’s hip and cool right now to be green, so there ya go. Gotta love the Ope, her and her big paycheck and multiple houses….eatin string beans instead of veal and steak. Oh Ope, when ya gonna learn?
Yes, being green is trendy now, but at least more and more people are making responsible green choices. I’m almost at a point where I don’t care how we get there as long as we get there. My first trip to a farmer’s market is this Saturday and I am so excited!
Here from NaComLeavMo
I think that it’ll do some good. Oprah may just get a lot of people to eat more vegetables and that’s something.
(here via NaComLeavMo)
That’s the thing about Oprah, say what you like but she does get people thinking, talking and doing. I like the idea but it’s way too restrictive for me to stick to.