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Every month is Veganuary
Now when the most important month for the environment and animals is over, continuous attention to Veganuary is much needed.
I had no idea for the longest time what Veganuary was. I had never participated in it in and so never recommended it. Now that I have been vegan for more than three years, I am more awake. I know that there is a need to spread the word. Not only in January.
What is Veganuary?
Veganuary is a UK non-profit organization founded in 2014. It seeks to bring awareness to a vegan lifestyle free of animal products every January. In a way, you can call it the vegan awareness month. The participants of this groundbreaking event have more than doubled every year since its start 6 years ago. Luckily, the idea of being a plant-based consumer for a whole month is getting more and more popular:
- The 2017 campaign had 50,000 participants signed up as of January 4.
- In 2018 170,000 people signed up, a 183% increase over 2017 numbers.
- The 2019 event signups were reported to be as many as 14,000 per day for a total of 250,000 signups from 193 countries.
- By January 5th, 2020 a record 350,000 people had registered to take part in Veganuary.
These numbers speak loud and clear that things are changing. And for the better. Hopefully. But it is quite disappointing that all the attention is for just one month. Why not every month? It is
Think of Veganuary every month
The extra awareness for veganism for the first month of the year is highly needed, but why not take an extra step and think of Veganuary every month. There are many positive effects of going vegan for more than one month, as it can promote better health for you and those around you, contribute to a better environmental state, and make the lives of animals better.
Being vegan is proven to promote good health and increase vitality, which makes you feel good. But perhaps more important to many of us is the well-being of dear ones around us. We can have our family and friends longer with us. Eating meat is not suitable for any of us, it is harmful to our health. Did you know that the length of our and all herbivores’ intestines is 27 times longer than the body? This is because breaking down cellulose in plant foods is a GINORMOUS job that requires ”untold billions of bacteria which do the breaking down for the herbivore.” Carnivores like lions, unlike rabbits and humans, have sharp teeth to shred meant and short powerful intestines to digest the flesh quickly. Imagine the meat you eat taking so long to travel through your long intestines? The bacteria aren’t meant to digest that! And it is not only meat that causes many health problems. It is also dairy.
Look at the simple graph below from the documentary. The two little dots on the left are data sections for the other two leading causes of deaths. The first is violence, wars, etc. and the middle describes accidental deaths. You can barely see those, because chronic disease kills annually 30 000 000 people in total, leaving them far behind.
Dairy
When drinking milk and using dairy products, we consume bodily liquids of a cow, who is lactating to feed its baby. Unfortunately, after her calf is born, they will lose their mother and their rightful nutrition, which goes to humans. The female cow becomes just a milking machine, not for her calves, but for humans. The male calves will be killed and sold as veal, as they are no use for the dairy industry. Female calves are raised for the same reason as their mothers – to produce milk for humans. Contrary to popular propaganda, drinking milk does no good for the body. Dairy companies had bought the scientist for the longest time, to fool us all to believe that milk gives you good bones and lots of protein. It doesn’t really work like that. As those nations that consume the most cow’s milk and other dairy products have the highest rates of osteoporosis and hip fracture.
Environment
Raising animals, producing products out of them, etc. is very exhausting for our planet. Cow cattle need lots of space, lots of water and lots of feed. And even more water is needed when the flesh of animals is processed for human taste buds. Oftentimes, the country where the cattle are raised does not have enough feed. So then it has to be transported from another country. More forests are cut down to grow more food for animals. It is all adding to the high greenhouse gas emissions.
We have a water crisis. Though it may seem that we have lots of oceans and water should not be a problem, but only a little part of the water is good for human consumption. Animal agriculture is destroying this water and also the oceans– home of sea life.
There are dead zones in the oceans. This is due to the massive amounts of nitrogen put into the oceans and coral reefs dying for the same reason. Animal agriculture is the main reason for global warming as well. One of three fish caught from the ocean is fed to the animal raised in agriculture. Hence overfishing is causing problems for us. As it really puts our future at stake as well.
Animals
Animals are living in cramped conditions. They can’t enjoy their lives to the fullest: run around, gaze and grow up with their loving parent. Males in animal agriculture, are killed including calves and chicks. Females are raised in bad conditions – to be slaves for human needs.
No death is humane. There is no happy meat or happy eggs. Free-range eggs are just a myth, to make us feel better. Not a single egg manufacturer can provide the needed space for hen’s normal well-being. This is not financially possible for them.
We abuse animals in so many fields. Not only for food but for pleasure too (zoo, circus, entertainment) as well. Not to forget fashion – for our shoes, bags, belts, and jackets, animals ‘have’ to die. But animals are individuals – they have feelings, needs and they also know what pain is.
If you are a pet owner, consider the fact that you are not eating your pets. So why should you eat other animals then altogether?
So….every month is Veganuary, right?
It is very difficult not to think of every month as a Veganuary after watching “Let us be Heroes – The True Cost of our Food Choices (2018)“. Though, as a vegan I have seen a fair amount of such documentaries, they still have an immense effect on me because the message is always so simple, but yet so powerful:
go vegan
for your health,
the planet,
the animals!
These are enough reasons to put the needs of your tastebuds aside and start making changes in your life, which would not harm animals or our home – planet Earth as we all need to manage and dwell happily here. Yet, animal agriculture, in other words, the majority’s eating and lifestyle habits, are straining the world and, we are at the edge of a catastrophe. It is here actually, no matter if you feel it in your corner of the world or not.
Take steps and stop eating animal products, as that way you also contribute to a better today and better future. Spread the word and make a change!
Give promises that matter and keep them!
It is the beginning of the new year – time to give yourself some promises and keep them! Think of yourself, but also of the world around you.
I guess hiatuses are sometimes needed. Taking a break from online life is a must for everybody. But know that we weren’t resting, just working harder and more intensively on another project. Stay tuned to find out more about it. Thank you for coming back to read our Can’t Human Properly thoughts – ideas far from average and wish to contribute as much as we can to the well-being of this Earth, which will be hopefully our home for another 50 years. Join us by giving promises to yourself and this wonderful planet we all call home!
Promises to yourself
Though January is half-way down, there is still enough time to write down your promises for the year. Since you as a person matters the most, it is wise to start from yourself. Think first of how you felt last year, about your health, relationships, goals, etc. Were you healthy and active? or should you make some changes in your eating habits? Did you have enough time for your hobbies? Did you start a project, which would benefit other people?
Get moving!
Working-out may be the answer to your low health state. Do not think of joining a gym, as this way, you just contribute to the never-ending consumerism and capitalism. Instead, save your money, log online and find a beginner’s exercise package through an app instance. Set two days and get into work-out gear. Though the beginning is tough, the good feeling will kick in soon and you start loving working out.
If working-out is really not your thing, then make a goal of 10 000 steps daily. It makes you feel better, even without sweating at the gym. If walking aimlessly is not your thing, then download an e-book and listen to it, while walking to meet your partner or going to do grocery shopping.
Eat food that matters
How about food? Do you like what you eat? Do you know where your food comes from or how it is made? If there are plenty of no’s as answers, then it is the time to stop and think. Perhaps you realize that ready-made, overly salty and sugary meals are not good for your health. Also, foods that take a long way to travel to your table do not contribute to the well-being of your local farmers. Check online for your local farmer’s markets or if there is nothing around, start learning more about what you can do to change this situation.
January is known also as a Veganuary. It is your chance to try not to eat meat and dairy. Why should you want to do that? Animal farming is known as one of the most devastating industries for Mother Earth. It is extremely strenuous for the environment, needs many resources and hence has a very big ecological footstep. Animal products are not needed and we can survive without consuming their bodily fluids, skin, and meat. There are plenty of plant-based options for every taste and craving out there. And if Meat Loaf can do it, so can you!
We will take the Liberation Pledge and be more dedicated and environmentally friendly vegans.
Do more for yourself
There are plenty of things you should have time for, as they help and make you feel good:
- reading
- sleeping in
- breakfast in bed
- going to the movies
- walk a nature path
- inviting friends over for a potluck
- decluttering – fewer things, fewer worries
- listening to music, I mean, really listen to music
- cleaning out your fridge and discover food you can eat!
- start a project you feel strongly about, which would help some special group of people or tackle an important issue
- etc., etc., etc. Insert what makes you happy here and share it in the comments!
Perhaps you have a personal project or goal you neglected last year, this is your chance to tackle it with fresh energy. Personally, I will try to update my photography website and make it modern. It is a big cross I have dragged along with me for the longest time. I also want to hone my skills in architecture photography, which I have always found very interesting. In addition, I want to scribble down more of my thoughts, who knows perhaps one day they will be put together for a book! Dreams, dreams, dreams.
Promises to your close ones
This one is easy: JUST SPEND MORE TIME WITH THEM!
Promises to Planet Earth
We here, at CHP appreciate nature a lot. We do not like consumerism and plastic and we love animals and saving food. So it is not difficult to guess what we are going to offer you, as something you can do in 2020 to make life better. Not just for yourself, but also for people around you and the environment.
We are going to follow this little list below. And we are offering you to try at least some of the things yourself, whether it’s for a few weeks, a month or even for a year. As long as you feel comfortable:
- fasting
- no buying
- saving food
- trying not to eat out
- not buying items in plastic
- not eating sugar and gluten
Conclusion
I guess there are always things we want to improve, start or continue what we like. But dedication is what we lack. Make sure you do not overcrowd your goal list and concentrate on up to 10 items.
You should come back to your goal list every month and see how you are doing. This is how you are not going to neglect them and actually work towards completing them!
Make sure to share your list, if it is not personal, also with your close ones, to inspire them to take steps to make their lives better too. And also to preserve the world around us.