The Red, White, and Green

Global warming guru Al Gore has taken a lot of flack recently from the environmental community for his meat-eating ways, so I was thrilled to see the former vice president call out factory farming in his appearance this weekend on Saturday Night Live.

[Click here to watch clip on NBC.com]

Could the vice president’s slimmer physique be attributed to a less meat-intensive diet? While earlier this month, Gore said on Good Morning America that he has no plans to become a vegetarian, he did say that he now eats less meat than he used to. And that he pointedly mentioned factory farming on SNL means he’s at least cognizant of the reality that 51 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are attributed the meat and dairy industry. I’m sure he’s now thinking twice (and taking a good look around him to see who’s watching) before digging into that proverbial cheeseburger.

It may be an unpopular stance in the environmental community, but I don’t think Gore — or any environmentalist, for that matter — needs to become a vegetarian or vegan to prove his commitment to fighting climate change. Animals have an important role to play in sustainable agriculture, and I’d eat pasture-raised beef over a GMO soy–infused Boca Burger any day. (Before you take issue with this comment, pick up a copy of The Omnivore’s Dilemma.)

Unfortunately, examples of sustainable animal agriculture are few and far between in this country; until that changes, less meat, less often will be my mantra.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: This Meatless Monday, make a pledge to challenge yourself for the remainder of this week: The only meat you eat will be from pasture-based, sustainably raised livestock. Not sure what this means? Click here.

More Meatless Monday posts:
Meat lobby fighting Meatless Monday
Baltimore schools make national headlines for Meatless Monday effort

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