I met Jim at Michigan’s VegFest a few months ago. Jim picked me up at the airport and we drove to a few veg spots in Michigan. I really enjoyed the time we spent together in the car chatting! Thank you Jim for our time together! I was immediately drawn to his inspiring story so I asked him to share it with you. Thank you Jim!!!!
My path to vegan began 28 years ago, Alicia. As a staunch environmentalist, I was doing lectures in college and university environmental classes on behalf of the Sierra Club. I stumbled across information about veganism through an organization called EarthSave, which began shortly after John Robbins book, “Diet for a New America” became a bestseller.
To say I was blown away by the information presented is an understatement. I was shocked by how much our diet plays a role in environmental stewardship and sustainability. I was equally dismayed to realize that all of the national environmental organizations I was financially supporting had never even bothered to educate me on the most critical area of my life – what I eat! Betrayal was the first word that came to mind after this revelation. It’s not like these organizations shouldn’t have known. As I learned, decades earlier Albert Einstein even wrote, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”
My activism focus completely changed. I dropped every single environmental group I supported and started doing programs on my own around food. I reached into the health, animal and environmental arenas to do lectures. To further outreach, I co-founded VegMichigan and help build it up to one of the largest and most influential in the country (we were honored to have you speak this year, Alicia!). From there I co-founded the international organization VegFund, Plant Peace Daily and most recently, Santa Fe Veg.
Becoming vegan was one of the best decisions of my life (my doctor agrees). I lost 25 lbs within the first few months and felt great. Today my blood work and test results are of a man less than half my age. More importantly, what I learned about animals shifted something in my heart and I could never eat animal products again. This is a lifestyle that every animal can live with, even humans!
Thanks, Alicia, for your dedication and using your celebrity to advance the biggest social movement of this generation. We cannot fail!
