Instagram Isn't Happy About Martha Stewart's Climate Change Stance
Celebrity lifestyle expert Martha Stewart has previously voiced her opinions on climate change: she even started eating more plant-based meals to do her bit for the environment and partnered with Beyond Meat last year to lend her support to one of their products, Beyond Breakfast Sausage (via Martha Stewart's website). The chef said that she drastically reduced her consumption of meat and explained, "Only about 6% of Americans are vegetarians, but about 30% of Americans are incorporating more plants into their diet. I've been doing that for years." She also revealed that her daughter is a vegetarian while her grandkids avoid meat (but like eating fish) and said, "They are very astute about the problems created by farming meat."
But despite her best efforts at reducing her own carbon footprint, Stewart somehow stirred up controversy on Instagram recently with a controversial take on — of all things — citrus fruit.
"I think we have nailed down how to nurture citrus in the northeast," she captioned a photo of her own harvest, adding that she relies on external elements from May to November, but turns to a "slightly heated greenhouse" in the cooler months to be able to grow citrus fruits "fifty miles from nyc." What could be wrong with that? Well, here's the kicker: Stewart then claimed to be "taking advantage of global warming while growing very very good oranges" and other fruits like lime and kumquats.
Internet meltdown in 3..2..1..
Is Martha Stewart actually out of touch on climate change?
Before we dig into the comment thread outrage, we should note that the cookbook author turned TV star also said in her controversial citrus fruits Instagram post that she despises global warming and what it's doing to the planet, but added, "However there are ways to take advantage until we figure out how to stop rapid climate change." This was apparently tone deaf for many of her followers, including one who replied, "Such a privileged take on global warming. Gross." But that was just the start of the internet onslaught.
"Beautiful fruit," one reply read, before continuing, "I'm not sure how practical it is to believe humans can control Mother Nature by believing in the climate change crisis." Someone else said that seasonal fruits are the most ideal and "heating greenhouses seems kinda wrong." Another commenter went for a mixed bag approach, writing, "I admire your positivity but I don't think delicious citrus fruits will make me feel better about climate change."
To be fair to the homemaking guru and Snoop Dogg BFF, she did get lost of encouragement, too. "Excellent news! What a bounty of beautiful citrus!!!" one supporter raved, while yet another off-season citrus fan commented, "Fabulous! I'm also in New England and I have very nice sweet oranges this year, too!" But perhaps no one summed it up better than this snarky response that read, "Literally making lemonade out of climate change."