It’s January which means Veganuary has once again rolled around. With more and more people taking part every year, it’s undoubtedly something you’ve heard of. But why does it exist, what are the benefits and what practises from it can we use all year around?
What is Veganuary?
Veganuary is an annual challenge run by a UK non profit organisation that encourages people to live a plant-based lifestyle for the whole month of January. It launched in 2014 and it’s estimated that close to 2 million people now take part in it every year.
For a lot of people, it’s a good way to kick the year off with a fresh, and often healthier start. It also shows people how switching to a plant-based diet may be easier than you think, with some of the swaps being carried through into the rest of the year.
Why is it done?
There’s a variety of reasons why people take part - whether to challenge themselves, start the year on a healthier footing, or learn more about a vegan lifestyle without committing.
Another key reason for a lot of people is the environmental factor. Eating plant-based can cut your yearly carbon footprint in half, as livestock and their by-products account for a huge amount of annual greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, it’s one of the main ways you can reduce your individual footprint.
At Fussy, we’re all about finding realistic and easy ways to be more planet-friendly, which is why we like Veganuary. We know it’s not realistic for everyone to go vegan, and we would never expect everyone to. But by adopting some vegan practises, you can easily cut down your carbon footprint. For example, the impact from eating plant-based just one day a week can be huge - saving nearly 50kg of of Co2 per year.
Is it just about food?
Living a vegan lifestyle isn’t simply about what you eat and drink. It also means cutting out non vegan and non cruelty free products across your lifestyle. If you’re a Fussy customer, this one’s easy. Fussy always has been and always will be vegan as certified by The Vegan Society, and in December last year we were certified as cruelty-free by The Leaping Bunny. They are the globally recognised gold standard in cruelty free personal care products, and mean we’re doing everything we can possibly do to be cruelty free.
If you’re looking for some other vegan swaps, check out some of our friends below, and remember if you’re a Fussy subscriber, you can get exclusive discounts on these brands in your subscriber portal.
Heights - Heights make braincare supplements that contain everything you need to feel your best every day.
Hanx - sex-positive, vegan products made by female founders. That’s a yes please from us!
Mammamade - 100% organic and vegan baby food delivered straight to your door.
H!P Chocolate - Think giving up chocolate would be the hardest part of going vegan? Think again. H!P make delicious oat-milk based chocolate you’ll be wanting more and more of.
Milliways - It’s plant-based chewing gum that also contains no plastic. A win for the planet and for you.
So, are you taking part in Veganuary this year? Whether you’ve cut everything out or are making small changes to your diet and lifestyle, every small step goes a long way to helping save the planet.
