5Q4 > A Radio Vegetarian

Among other media gigs, Jackie O is a breakfast radio host in Sydney. She was also the face—and voice—of National Vegetarian Week in Australia last month.

1 What responsibility comes with being a voice
in the community? > Obviously being a public figure, you have a responsibility as a role model—particularly considering the large chunk of the younger audience that tunes in to the breakfast program. I try to be as real and honest as I can, so the listeners know I’m not perfect. They know all about my flaws because I tell them. I think it’s important to let them know that nobody is perfect—even Jessica Alba has her flaws.  

2 Why do you think it is important to use
your public profile to talk about an issue like
vegetarianism? > Being vegetarian is something I’m really passionate about. If I can spread the word about the benefits of being vegetarian and influence people in any way, then I think that would be a great thing. There are many misconceptions out there about being vegetarian. Many people believe that there is a lack of choice but I’ve been vegetarian for 11 years now and I had the same misconceptions when I first thought about becoming vegetarian. I soon realised it was a much healthier way of living and it is actually really easy to do.
 

3 What made you become a vegetarian? > I wanted to start looking after my health. I used to get sick a lot but after cutting out meat from my diet, I noticed that my energy levels increased and I hardly ever got the flu. Being vegetarian also has many health benefits like reducing your chances of being overweight or obese, developing type II diabetes, heart disease or cancer later in life. It’s also a positive step I can take toward helping the environment.  

4 What was the hardest thing about becoming vegetarian? > Initially, the hardest thing was finding foods and restaurants that catered for vegetarians—it was all lettuce leaves and lentils! Vegetarianism is now very mainstream and there are lots of great tasting, creative vegetarian options. Becoming vegetarian forced me to be more prepared and definitely forced me to eat more healthy food! It comes down to thinking ahead and making sure you have the types of food you want to eat available. But there are lots of great cafes and restaurants that now provide a good selection of vegetarian options for when I’m on the run.
 

5 Why is vegetarianism an important environmental consideration? > Many people underestimate the impact of livestock on the environment. By becoming vegetarian, you can reduce the amount of methane produced by livestock and consequently reduce greenhouse emissions.

Bonus If you were a vegetable, what would you be? > Pumpkin—I’m a bit of a softie and sweeter than the others :)

• For an extended interview with Jackie O, check December 07 issue of Signs of the Times www.signsofthetimes.org.au
• To download Jackie O’s Vegie Delights BBQ recipes cookbook, visit www.vegiedelights.com.au