Maryland State Senator tells VN about his life-changing pledge to go veg.

On a cold December afternoon in 2008, Maryland State Senator Jamie Raskin lay down for a nap. Raskin was plucked from his slumber by a call from a reporter who asked: “What can everyone in our community do to be green in 2009?” The senator didn’t think twice before saying, “Everyone should go vegetarian for one week.” Though still a meat-eater at the time, Raskin had considered the potential benefits of adopting a veg diet, but lacked a starting point for changing his habits. Thanks to Takoma Park’s first-ever Try Veg Week—organized by Compassion Over Killing—Raskin got the needed push, and from April 24th through the 30th, Senator Raskin and Takoma Park City Council pledged to go veg. Now, months later, he’s sticking with a meat-free diet, obsessed with Whole Foods’ vegan General Tso’s chicken, and focusing on the environment.