Posted on 10/31/2004 11:40:54 AM PST by SmithL
ROANOKE -- For telephone company CEO Norm Mason, a vegan and lifelong animal lover, there was never any doubt what he'd offer at his company cafeteria.
Soy steaks and soy sloppy joes, veggie burgers, nachos and other meatless, eggless, butter-free delicacies are cooked daily using heavy bags of texturized vegetable protein.
If that doesn't sound so great, consider this: It's all free.
Mason says he created the "Vegeteria" out of concern for the well-being of his 200 employees of Cat Communications International. So he's giving them all the fresh vegetables, meat substitutes, cakes and drinks they could ever want.
"This was a way to say: 'Look, we don't feel it's right to have the flesh of an animal, an animal killed for your benefit,"' Mason said. "I see it no different than smoking. People are asked to go outside and smoke."
It also will hopefully teach them respect for animals, he says, a value symbolized by Lucille, the paralyzed dog he adopted that follows workers around on a little wheeled contraption.
Bruce Friedrich, a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, says Mason is part of a growing number of vegetarian and vegan CEOS, including Steve Jobs of Apple Computers Inc., Michael Eisner from Walt Disney Co., John Mackey of Whole Foods Market Inc. and Bill Ford of Ford Motor Co., who have made it easier for employees to eat meat-free.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Hmmm...I could eat a free salad for lunch every day and go for steak at night. Sounds okay to me.
hmmm...pay for lunch or eat free veggan food????
Looks like I'll be headed out again for lunch today!
I'll take my steak medium rare thank you...sounds like a commie front
Yeah, Good luck with that
Nachos... with real cheese, or some soy-based cheese substitute? Because nachos every day sounds good to me. I'd just bring a can of chili from home...
Good God...I wouldn't work for this company for any price.
Not a bad idea. Nutrition is more important than many people realize, as the number of sick people proves.
Does Lucille eat meat-free meat as well? Perhaps PETA should investigate this wacko for feeding his dog garbage.
You should have the choice to eat meat if you want. to eat vegan if you want. That is the freedom of choice that you in the US should be conveying as an example. In some parts of the world the only choice is halal, even in the UK now so think yourselves lucky. Keep it that way.
"...heavy bags of texturized vegetable protein..."
Mmmmmm! Yummy!!
(So whatever happened to eating fresh, natural food?)
I had a vegan friend that started going through organ failure due to malnutrition. His doctor advised him that if he didn't start eating meat, it might kill him. He now loves a nice rare steak, rarely has seconds on the salad, and is in better shape than he had been in 10 years.
I don't know about all of them but from those I do know, that sentence reads like a Who's Who of pinheads.
Free food that's actually not unhealthy and not fried in fat? I'll take it. But I'm still gonna have my pepperoni pizza for dinner! :)
I thought real vegans don't eat soy. I did a whole food wellness program which was great...for about two weeks. It cleans your system. However, my hats off to anyoen who would and would want to sacrifice one of life's wonderful pleasures, which is eating things that taste good!!!
I think vegan means no animal products, period. Looks like you'll be bringing you own jar of nacho cheese too.
I have a problem with my employer trying to control aspects of my life that aren't tied to my performance.
I suppose I could, too. It all depends on the self-righteous attitude at that place.
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