John Robbins (born October 26, 1947) is an American author, who popularized the links among

nutrition Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. It provides organisms with nutrients, which can be metabolized to create energy and chemical structures. Failure to obtain sufficient n ...

environmentalism Environmentalism or environmental rights is a broad philosophy, ideology, and social movement regarding concerns for environmental protection and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seek ...

, and

animal rights Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...

. He is the author of the 1987 ''

Diet for a New America ''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 w ...

'', an exposé on connections between diet, physical health,

animal cruelty Cruelty to animals, also called animal abuse, animal neglect or animal cruelty, is the infliction by omission (neglect) or by commission by humans of suffering or Injury, harm upon non-human animals. More narrowly, it can be the causing of harm ...

, and environmentalism.

Biography

Robbins is the son of Irma Robbins and

Irv Robbins Irvine Robbins (December 6, 1917 – May 5, 2008) was a Canadian-born American businessman. He co-founded the Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor chain in 1945 with his partner and brother-in-law Burt Baskin. Early life Robbins was born in Winnipeg ...

, co-founder of

Baskin-Robbins Baskin-Robbins is an American multinational chain of ice cream and cake speciality shops owned by Inspire Brands. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 by Burt Baskin (1913–1967) and Irv Robbins (1917–2008) in ...

. He is of Jewish descent. John graduated from the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

, in 1969, and received a master's degree from

Antioch College Antioch College is a private liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Founded in 1850 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1852 as a non-sectarian institution; politician and education reformer Horace Mann was its f ...

, in 1976. Rather than following the ice-cream parlor legacy of his father, he left the company to seek a simpler life. He and his wife Deo were married on March 10, 1967. Ocean Robbins, their son, is the founder of Food Revolution Network. In 1987 ''Diet for a New America'' was published. In the book Robbins links the impacts of factory farming on human health, the environment, and animal welfare, to make a case for a plant-based diet. A year later he founded EarthSave (see below). In 2001, Robbins updated and reiterated his views on

veganism Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. ...

for ethical, environmental and health reasons in the book ''The Food Revolution''. The book includes information on

organic food Organic food, ecological food or biological food are food and drinks produced by methods complying with the standards of organic farming. Standards vary worldwide, but organic farming features practices that cycle resources, promote ecological ...

genetically modified food Genetically modified foods (GM foods), also known as genetically engineered foods (GE foods), or bioengineered foods are foods produced from organisms that have had changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering. Gene ...

, and

factory farming Intensive animal farming or industrial livestock production, also known by its opponents as factory farming and macro-farms, is a type of intensive agriculture, specifically an approach to animal husbandry designed to maximize production, while ...

. He worked with

PETA Peta or PETA may refer to: Acronym * Pembela Tanah Air, a militia established by the occupying Japanese in Indonesia in 1943 * People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an American animal rights organization * People Eating Tasty Animals, an ...

in 2002 to sue the California Milk Advisory Board over its 'happy cows' television advertisement. The Milk Advisory Board won on a technicality. His 2006 book ''Healthy at 100'', published by Random House, was printed on 100% post-consumer non-chlorine bleached paper, a first for a book from a major U.S. publisher. Robbins is also on the advisory board of '' Naked Food Magazine'', for which he is also a regular contributor of articles espousing a

plant-based diet A plant-based diet is a diet consisting mostly or entirely of plant-based foods. Plant-based diets encompass a wide range of dietary patterns that contain low amounts of animal products and high amounts of plant products such as vegetables, fru ...

EarthSave

In 1988, Robbins founded EarthSave, an international, non-profit organization. The organization was born to channel the reader response to his ''Diet for a New America''. EarthSave did outreach to the non-vegetarian public, with information tables and vegetarian social activities such as vegetarian Thanksgiving potlucks, and activism on vegetarian, animal, and food system issues. EarthSave sponsored a youth-outreach group, YES (Youth for Environmental Sanity), which toured the country visiting high schools and raising awareness of the EarthSave message. EarthSave continues to promote healthy, environmentally sound food choices. As of January 2022, its head office is in Chatsworth, California. Earthsave Canada was established as a registered non-profit charity in British Columbia in March 1990.

Books

*'' Diet for a New America: How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness and the Future of Life on Earth'', (1987). *''May All Be Fed: Diet For a New World'', (1992). *''Reclaiming Our Health: Exploding the Medical Myth and Embracing the Source of True Healing'', (1996). *''The Awakened Heart: Meditations on Finding Harmony in a Changing World'', 1997. *''The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World'', 2001. *''Healthy at 100: The Scientifically Proven Secrets of the World’s Healthiest and Longest-Lived Peoples'', 2006. *''The New Good Life: Living Better Than Ever in an Age of Less'', (2010),

Ballantine Books Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann in 1998 and remains ...

, 304 pages (). *''No Happy Cows: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Food Revolution'', 2012. *''Voices of the Food Revolution: You Can Heal Your Body and Your World with Food!'', (May 6, 2013)

Films

* ''Diet for a New America'' (1991) featuring

Michael Klaper Michael A. Klaper (July 19, 1947) is an American physician, vegan health educator, conference and event speaker, and an author of articles and books of vegan medical advice. Graduating from medical school in 1972, Klaper became a vegan ten yea ...

T. Colin Campbell Thomas Colin Campbell (born March 14, 1934) is an American biochemist who specializes in the effect of nutrition on long-term health. He is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University. Campbell ...

, and

John A. McDougall John A. McDougall (born May 17, 1947) is an American physician and author. He has written a number of diet books advocating the consumption of a low-fat vegan diet based on starchy foods and vegetables. His eponymous diet, called ''The McDouga ...

* ''

Super Size Me ''Super Size Me'' is a 2004 American documentary film directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, an American independent filmmaker. Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1 to March 2, 2003, during which he ate only McDonald's f ...

'' by

Morgan Spurlock Morgan Valentine Spurlock (born November 7, 1970) is an American documentary filmmaker, humorist, television producer, screenwriter and playwright. Spurlock's films include ''Super Size Me'' (2004), '' Where in the World Is Osama bin Laden?'' (20 ...

has a short interview with Robbins.Responses to Healthy at 100 – Healthy at 100 ::: by John Robbins

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Robbins, John 1947 births Living people American food writers American health and wellness writers American people of Jewish descent American non-fiction environmental writers American self-help writers Baskin-Robbins family Antioch College alumni Animal rights scholars Writers from California American veganism activists Activists from California Plant-based diet advocates

Biography

EarthSave

Books

Films

See also

References

External links