Veganuary
Veganism – the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals.
VEGANUARY CHALLENGE – together lets make compassionate food choices
So the New Year is fast approaching, have you come up with your new life changing mottos and dreams to live out and chase over 2018?
For years I’ve done all sorts of new years resolutions and goal setting plans, all of this has been based on self, self improvement, and/or personal goal oriented. But what about if your new years goals and resolutions were targeting the global stage?
Don’t think its possible to change the world with your actions?!
Well you totally can, and in so many profound ways; I will only focus on one for the time being, as things can have the potential to be plain overwhelming. I want to introduce you to the idea of VEGANUARY, a movement inspiring people to try going vegan for the month of January (and hopefully continue on that journey).
Something I personally live by is “if you want to change the world change what you eat” bold statement I know, but hopefully in the following paragraphs I can elaborate on the who, what, and how’s to help encourage you to give Veganuary a go!
Have you ever thought about what your eating beyond just the shopping and dinner preparation? There is quite a process when we look at things backwards from your home cooked dinner.
Let me challenge you to think in reverse…
So you have dinner on the table all cooked and ready to go, before this your meat was waiting patiently on the shelves of your local supermarket wrapped in plastic looking all tasty under that semi florescent lighting, and before that it was frozen hoping to be sold before that trusty used by date came around, because then the options become fairly grim; pet food or the bin. Before this its been
in a processing/packing factory, then the slaughter house, then an over packed truck being transported away from the farm. Your dinner has already had quite the journey before even meating you (pun intended), and during its time on the farm/factory farm it was an animal, it had parents, feelings, emotions and moods much like you and me, animals crave love and affection.
It doesn’t matter what species you show affection towards the ‘majority’ of animals openly take it (excluding the crazy monkeys from G Land Indonesia, any surfer who has spent time in the jungle there knows exactly what I’m talking about!). From tickling sharks tummies to patting as many beautiful pups in the Bondi area I know and understand animals crave affection and connectedness the way we humans do.
In terms of the environment eating a vegan/plant based diet makes a more positive impact on greenhouse gas emissions than giving up your car, so don’t go selling that just yet!
Going vegan helps things like:
- Reduces water usage
- Reduces machine based energies and power
- Reduces environmental impacts like land clearing which in turn reduces species impact
- Reduces contaminated water ways, which all eventually lead into the ocean (my happy place 🙂
Veganism disrupts a long standing industry of agriculture and humanistic learnt behaviours from mass marketing, telling us that we need animal based nutritional in order to be healthy. There will forever be disruptions within life, but will they have as much of a profound impact on a global scale?
Disruptions I can guarantee your familiar with are, Uber, this company single handily disrupted the Taxi industry, and Air bnb who disputed the hotel industry chains. My thoughts are the fast food industry is old school and soon enough it will be disrupted…
If I was to list out some basic starting points and guides for beginning Veganuary they are:
- Stay accountable, find a friend and begin together keeping each other in check, or better yet start a family challenge and do it all together for the month!
- If your into coffee simply swap out your usual milk for something a touch fancier, almond, macadamia, coconut, cashew or soy.
- Give tofu a try, bbq, fry and marinade away!
- Substitute dairy creams with coconut cream, dairy milk with coconut milk in cooking and on cereal
- Keep a journal, write down how your feeling mood and energy wise, start now before January so you have something to do a comparison with and discover if there are any obvious changes
- If your stuck for food ideas and inspiration make Google your friend, there are literally thousands of recipes online, or go to instagram for more inspiration
- And lastly try to develop some meal plans, be organized, plan ahead. If your on top of it from the get go things will be a whole lot smoother during this time of transition
I hope this has created a small nugget of inspiration and developed a touch more food for though, if you knew you could be part of a positive shift in the world would you give it a try?
Send me a message or comment on your thoughts and progress!
Love love xxx
