5 actions to take this Veganuary

By Olivia Kellett

Introduction

Veganuary is a non-profit organisation that encourages people to eat a vegan diet for the whole month of January and beyond. Veganism is a lifestyle of avoiding the consumption of animal products. After the release of the groundbreaking documentary Cowspiracy, it became apparent that the meat and food industry have a huge environmental impact on the planet. With the meat industry accounting for a large proportion of global carbon emissions and is responsible for the appalling treatment of animals. Adopting a Vegan diet is believed to be a much more sustainable option in the face of the current climate crisis. If you wish to take part, but have no idea where to start here are five tips to help you with this challenge. Whether you wish to become completely vegan, or you wish to reduce your consumption of animal products, keep reading to learn more.

1. Top books to get your started

For the health conscious individual who wish to expand their culinary skills, here are some of our favorite vegan cookbooks and guides. Below we have More Plants Less Waste by Max La Manna, for the very environmentally conscious vegans, How to Go Vegan by Veganuary for the beginners, and Jack Monroe’s Vegan(ish), for those who are environmental and budget conscious. Check out her blog for more healthy vegan recipes.

2. Our favorite recipes

Our personal favorite vegan recipes come from the Jewish Vegan Society. The charity is devoted to promoting a kinder world, without the killing of animals. From left to right we have, Vegan Mac and Cheese, Vegan Lasagna and Vegan chocolate glazed donuts.

3. Watch documentaries and understand the bigger picture

We have already mentioned Cowspiracy, the shocking, yet humorous, journey of an aspiring environmentalist, as he daringly seeks to find the real solution to the most pressing environmental issues and true path to sustainability. Other documentaries look at the ethical and environmental impact of our food industry such as Food. inc, and Rotten (series) on Netflix. Both explore the lack of transparency within our supply chains, uncovering the mistreatment of both people and animals, whilst exposing the environmental impacts of our everyday consumption.

4. Podcasts & Events to keep you motivated

Podcasts are a fantastic medium to learn a new subject and expand your horizons. One podcast with a specific focus on Veganism is Vevolution. The multimedia content & events organization aims to inspire individuals and communities to be positive change-makers. Their podcasts are not only informative but inspiring. Here are Vevolution’s own top 15 inspiring podcasts to listen to this month.

Vevolution also organize events for communities, individuals and businesses, and in the spirit of Veganuary, Vevolution are holding a series of events throughout the month in celebration of the campaign. Click here to read about upcoming events.

5. Final thoughts

Being able to take part in the Veganuary challenge may be considered a privilege for some due to socio-economic circumstances, medical issues or poor locational infrastructure. Even if you cannot spend the entire month vegan for, reducing you meat and dairy consumption will make a huge difference. You can also try calculating the carbon footprint of your diet in this online calculator.

Enjoy plant-based start to 2020.