Red carpets go green with vegan meals, but skeptics see crumbs

LOS ANGELES－From glitzy all-vegan galas to recycled red carpet outfits, Hollywood has stepped up efforts to reduce its carbon footprint this awards season, which will soon wrap up with the Oscars.

But while some scientists have welcomed A-listers' renewed zeal on climate change, others have questioned whether Tinseltown's jet-set elite are any sort of example to follow.

The Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and Critics' Choice Awards galas last month all served plantbased menus, instead of the steak dinners typical of celebrity-packed events.

Oscar nominees were offered roasted maitake mushrooms and vegan cheese at their annual luncheon in the past week, and will be served a "70 percent plant-based" menu at the Feb 9 show.

The "brave and compassionate" moves have drawn glowing praise from actor Joaquin Phoenix, as well as environmental actor-activist stalwarts Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo.

Inside the star-studded events, few had any complaints－even if comedian Seth Meyers wryly observed it was lucky that "food critics" weren't invited to the Critics' Choice Awards.

Climate scientists and activists have also welcomed the trend.

Brenda Ekwurzel, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said it was "really important for Hollywood" to make an effort and "very exciting to me as a climate scientist."

Convincing people to change their food choices is one of the best ways to immediately reduce carbon emissions, she added.

Switching the diet of 1,500 guests at the Globes would have reduced the event's footprint roughly tenfold－saving 10 to 15 tons of CO2 equivalents－according to climate scientist Peter Kalmus.

By contrast, an average person in Bangladesh generates about one ton per year.

The "ripple effects" of even one famous attendee taking up climate activism as a result could influence public awareness and even policy, Kalmus added.

The highly publicized steps taken by Hollywood have not however drawn universal praise.

Few winners and presenters approached the mic at the Globes without offering "thoughts and prayers" expressed for those suffering in Australia's wildfires, while singer Lizzo recently helped pack food hampers for those affected during her world tour.

But accusations of hypocrisy have been leveled at many showbiz stars, with the movie industry as a whole decamping each year to a string of globe-trotting festivals spanning the globe from Cannes to Venice to Toronto to Park City, Utah.

"It is problematic to speak out on the climate emergency if you're flying on private jets" and have a huge overall climate footprint, said Kalmus.