sierraclub.org - sierra magazine - july/august 2011 - enjoy
By Avital Binshtock
Chill Flavors | Trendsetter | Soul Kitchen
CHILL FLAVORS
We asked dessert experts to recommend their favorite ecofriendly ice cream, so you can cool your palate and the planet at the same time.
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TRENDSETTER: SCOTT JUREK
"Becoming vegan wasn't like, 'Oh, I can't eat this, I can't eat that.' It brought so many new ways to explore cooking."
—Scott Jurek
Scott Jurek, ultramarathoner, vegan, and clean-trails advocate | Photo by Justin BastienAn ultramarathoner is someone who regularly runs races that make the standard 26.2-mile contest look like a morning jog. Scott Jurek, 37, is an ultra ultramarathoner. He's the U.S. record holder for the 24-hour run, having covered 165.7 miles in a single day. Twice he's won the brutal Badwater race—135 miles through Death Valley—and he's won the 100-mile Western States Endurance Run seven times. And he does it all on a diet devoid of animal products. In his free time, he helps restore the mountain trails so central to his sport.
Since 1999. I started doing ultramarathons in '94, but all my major victories happened after I changed my diet. It really impacted my health and my training, and it's been a big reason why I've been so consistent with pumping out serious results.
Definitely it got spurred from the health standpoint. At the time, I was eating fast food four times a week. You name it—extra-large fries, double McChicken sandwich. I used to hate vegetables, and I used to hate running. I used to hunt and fish; in my family, that's how we explored the outdoors. A major turning point was reading Dr. Andrew Weil's Spontaneous Healing, and then Howard Lyman's Mad Cowboy. I realized that our three meals per day play a huge role environmentally. I've come to appreciate the ethical issues too. As a former hunter and fisherman, I'm sympathetic to people who do those activities, but I'm also sympathetic to the fact that we do mistreat animals raised for food.
My first choice is to run in the mountains, because having such a beautiful setting brings you back to that primal instinct. When I'm on a 40-mile run, I get to explore places that would take most people four days of backpacking [to reach]. I'm moving through incredible scenery and still soaking in the sights and sounds and smells.
To read a longer interview with Scott Jurek, go to sierraclub.org/greenlife.
SOUL KITCHEN
You've read The Omnivore's Dilemma, joined a community-supported-agriculture program, and started steering clear of drive-throughs. The only problem? Your kitchenware consists of a toxic Teflon pan, a rusty baking dish, and several warped Tupperware pieces. Fear not: Here's a recipe for a better-stocked eco-kitchen. —Della Watson
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Chef Annie Somerville, of San Francisco vegetarian restaurant Greens, serves up a tasty recipe at Sierra's "Good Eats."
Lisa Clark photo courtesy of Kelly Nissl; Jai Kendell photo courtesy of Rosa Mexicano; Taff Mayberry photo courtesy of John Davidson; Ann Gentry photo courtesy of Lee Brubaaker; ice cream photos by Lori Eanes (5); kitchen photos by Lori Eanes (4); trivet photo courtesy of Greenheart Shop
This article has been corrected.