Diet for a New America facts for kids
Diet for a New America is a 1987 bestselling nonfiction book by John Robbins. The book links the impacts of factory farming on human health, animal welfare and the environment, in an "animal-rights, pro-environment, vegetarian message." It was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Non-Fiction in 1987.
In 1991 KCET, the Los Angeles PBS affiliate, produced a film documentary based on the book called Diet for a New America: Your Health, Your Planet. The film is narrated by John Robbins and features interviews with Michael Klaper, T. Colin Campbell, and John A. McDougall.
Influence
In 1988, Robbins founded EarthSave, a non-profit organization promoting vegetarianism. Its purpose was to channel into action the overwhelmingly positive reader response to Diet for a New America. At its height in the early 1990s, there were perhaps 10 chapters across the United States that did outreach to the non-vegetarian public, with information tables and vegetarian social activities, and activism on vegetarian, animal, and food system issues.
The book and the documentary film based on the book have influenced many people to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet. People who have said the book or film influenced them include Emily Deschanel, Davey Havok, Avery Yale Kamila, Russell Simmons, and Weird Al Yankovic.
Editions
In 2012, a 25th anniversary edition of the book was released in paperback, audiobook, and electronic formats.
