John Robbins: Ice Cream and Wealth to Environment and Health

What would you do if you were the heir of a multi-million dollar chain of ice cream parlors? Would you take the reins proudly and pump all your profits and effort into expansion? Would you sell the company and retire to some beautiful, out-of-the-way paradise? Or would you do what the heir of Baskin-Robbins did, and walk completely away from the business to pursue a life of activism?

It may seem like a crazy thing to do, but that’s exactly what John Robbins, son of Baskin-Robbins founder, Irvine Robbins, decided to do in his early twenties. And the decision has served him well. Since he left his father’s company, the prolific spokesperson and bestselling author has built an entire legacy around nutrition, environmentalism and animal rights. He’s one of the most prominent speakers when it comes to green issues, and is hailed as one of the leading experts in the connections between diet, physical health, animal cruelty, and the environment.

So why’d he leave Baskin-Robbins and dedicate his life and career to spreading the word about good nutrition and health, environmental responsibility, and having compassion for animals? According to Robbins himself, he left Baskin-Robbins "to live a life devoted to the creation of a kinder, healthier and more sustainable world." Apparently ice cream just isn’t as profitable to him, as, let’s say, a good healthy diet and a clean place to live. So this is an investment he’s more than happy to make.

Says Robbins in his 1987 book, A New Diet for America, "Few of us are aware that the act of eating can be a powerful statement of commitment to our own well-being, and at the same time the creation of a healthier habitat. Your health, happiness, and the future of life on earth are rarely so much in your own hands as when you sit down to eat." 

But personal health isn’t the only thing that’s driving his passion for sustainable eating. Robbins believes that animals love and appreciate life as much as we do, and should have the right to live in peace. And that in itself speaks volumes about Robbins and his vision for the world.

In 1988, Robbins founded EarthSave, an international nonprofit organization that aims to promote healthy food choices, sustainable farming practices and environmental responsibility. It’s also the leading sponsor and promoter of "Taste of Health," an annual vegetarian food festival.  

Robbins further spreads his philosophies with the help of a successful writing career, authoring eight popular books on health, diet and animal rights issues. He also wrote and produced the 1991 film based on his bestselling book, A New Diet for America; and appeared in the Academy Award-nominated film Supersize Me, directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock.

But above all (and perhaps his greatest accomplishment) is the work ethic and values he’s passed down to his own son, Ocean Robbins, who is co-author of John’s Robbins’ own Voices of the Food Revolution (2013), as well as Choices for Our Future: A Generation Rising for Life on Earth (1997). Maybe through Ocean Robbins, we can expect to see his father’s legacy carried well into the future.

"As my son Ocean was growing up, I was grateful to be a guide to him on his path, and yet I always knew that it was his path that he was taking, and that it was not my role to define it for him or to ask him to fulfill my own unmet needs," says John. "His accomplishments were many, but what was far more meaningful to me was his kindness, his thoughtfulness of others, his humility and his innate sense of joy."

Now this is a father-and-son relationship any family counselor could admire. And what these two are doing with their time, energy and resources is something every hard-pressed CEO can learn a thing or two from. Surely, nothing beats an ambitious entrepreneur with a good heart—unless of course, there happens to be two of them.

If you want to learn more about John or Ocean Robbins and their ongoing mission to spread good health and increased longevity, visit the official John Robbins website at JohnRobbins.info. You can see what John has to say about his own personal quest and vision for the future; browse his collection of books and published works; and learn how to enrich your own your life with healthy, friendly and sustainable eating habits.