Climate Change, Your Diet, and Not Being “On the Take”

It seems that some of us have been making the connection between global warming (yeah, I’m calling it that*) and our diet for decades longer than others. Many vegans I know say that 40 years ago, the environment was the main reason they went vegan. Websites like EarthSave have long been a rich resource for research and links to the studies that support going veg to reduce green house gases. They’ve long recommended cutting back on animal use and slaughter to reduce methane gas.

During my 3-mile run this morning, I battled oncoming 20 mile-an-hour or better winds. We’ve had days of rain here now in Florida, and as a former news/weather junkie, since that’s what I did for 18 years, I’m always tracking the weather. While this is considered Florida’s rainy season, it is my observation that it has been way wetter and windier than most seasons. With all the evaportation from global warming, melting, and the not-oft talked about result, evaportation…as the cycle repeats all over again. Perhaps you’ve read about the El Nino effect? Simply put, it means the Pacific Ocean is warmer than usual. It keeps hurricanes away from Florida generally speaking, though not always. And it almost guarantees flooding in the rest of the world, which this year, seems to be above normal, even if you don’t believe all the news media hype. Your trusted source for objective news, me, gives an unbiased take and years of studying/reporting on the watery climate and connection to diet here.

I have a feeling this movie, Cowspiracy, does it way better. I’ve heard great reviews, waiting for it. If you’ve seen it, let us know your review below.

In my pledge to connect all the dots, show you what I eat on $4 a day, is paleo-vegan strong and keeps me placing in races, here’s today entree at a great, new restaurant…the only remotely partially vegetarian and vegan restaurant in Bradenton, Florida. Sadly not open for dinner. But a delicious tofu scramble:

Sage Biscuit, if you’re in the hood.

Lots of vegan choices on the menu. I don’t get any bennies for saying/showing this.

A poor journalist at heart, first and foremost.

Seriously, I think it is so important that you know that. I’ve had this conversation with other vegan authors who tell me I’m a fool for not taking advantage of the many “affiliate” programs out there. While I’m always happy to spread good news about great vegan products, websites and seminars, I don’t want a “cut” of the action. When I worked in televsion, we had to sign “payola” agreements every year promising we wouldn’t anything from anyone anytime. My uncle, Uncle Buddy, we called him, literally fought, the Ku Klux Klan when he owned a radio station in Bogalusa, LA. because he ran pro-desegreation editorials, got run out of town, lost the radio station because advertisers pulled out, and then he went to work for the Federal Communications Commission where he was the first to enforce the new law about payola.  Because of his courage, he won the highest award in broadcasting from the Radio and Television News Directors Association. Now called, RTDNA, the site doesn’t say why people won the award. But the Southern Poverty Law Institute was not afraid to say here why Uncle Buddy won this award. I hope you’ll take the time to read the story. It truly is an amazing story of raw guts. As a child, I remember our entire family feared for his life and even ours. If you look at the other names on the list, Walter Cronkite, Mike Wallace, Barbara Wallace (she was the only woman, until recently, and not many more even now), Ralph Blumberg is the only name you won’t recognize.

Here’s an incredible account of what he had to deal with in Boglusa.

How did I get from tofu scramble to the KKK? Not being afraid to tell the truth about the connection between carbon emissions and globe-heating animals…way too many of them for eating. It’s about fighting conventional wisdom, not being afraid or doing it for money.  Telling the truth, trying to stand up for what is right, and doing it with your life…that’s a lesson that’s in my blood. The vegcoach and broccoli rep…because who else is?

Gotta run. Oh wait. Here’s what I had for lunch. Because everyone tells me I have to post that to keep interest. Beets, zuchinni, radish, romaine, mint, carrots, sprouted aduki/lentil beans.

*When I worked as a media consultant, I had the opportunity to train activists who worked and tried to enforce the US Endangered Species Act. During the Bush Administration, anytime “Global Warming” was written in any kind of agency document, it was redacted. Eliminated. Gone. Doesn’t exist.