Written by PETA
One of the best things about the fourth season of Mad Men—which has caused me to suffer major withdrawal symptoms since its conclusion a few weeks ago—was watching as spoiled rich kid Pete Campbell showed signs of a new maturity in the face of his new responsibilities as a partner and a parent.
But actor Vincent Kartheiser, who plays Pete (brilliantly) on the show, is clearly well ahead of his TV character when it comes to responsible behavior. While discussing his commitment to green living during a recent interview, he explained that he has not only given up his car but has also ditched meat. "I've been a vegetarian for four years and I have chosen not to have children, which are both green choices in my life," he said.
While many people would disagree with Kartheiser when it comes to the merits of having children, there's no question about the environmental benefits of plant-based diets. After all, a United Nations report recently concluded that the world needs to shift toward a vegan diet to combat the worst effects of climate change. So while you may not want to emulate Pete Campbell, it's not a bad idea to follow in Vincent Kartheiser's Earth-friendly footsteps by greening your diet.
Written by Jeff Mackey
Choosing to have or adopt children or not is an individual choice. I chose not to have or adopt children. My reason is that I know I would not be a good parent, unlike many people I know who think they are great parents while the behavior of their children clearly states otherwise. Or perhaps the behavior of todays children is the result of not being allowed to effectively dicipline children...I was a nanny and also a preschool teacher for many years; I know what works and what doesn't and mere "timeouts" do not work. As for Mr. Kartheiser thinking not having children is a green choice he may or may not be right about that; my belief is that we as a species are not going to be on the earth very much longer.
This is kind of funny because I gave an almost identical response when my company's Green Team asked me what I do to support the environment. Living a vegan lifestyle and choosing not to have kids are my contributions.
By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal info in accordance with our privacy policy as well as to receiving e-mails from us.
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
Follow PETA on Twitter!