What is National Vegan Month about?
First came World Vegan Day, created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Vegan Society on 1 November 1994. This then became World Vegan Week and, as veganism grows in popularity we now have World Vegan Month.
World Vegan Month is celebrated every November to celebrate the benefits of going vegan, and the growth of the vegan movement the world over.
What does going vegan involve?
The Vegan Society define veganism as a lifestyle philosophy; essentially it involves avoiding all products that involve animals, whether that is food or more material things like leather shoes, bags and coats.
A vegan diet means you don't eat any meat or dairy based items, which includes eggs (don't worry you can get egg-free pasta). Many vegans don't eat honey either.
You can be fully vegan, or choose a vegan diet part of the time. For some people, due to health reasons going fully vegan isn't possible.
Veganism is different to vegetarianism as it excludes more foods, such as cheese, butter and yoghurt.
To find out more about veganism check out the Vegan Society website.
Going meat and dairy free has real carbon saving benefits
Not eating meat or diary at all has real carbon savings; you don't need to go vegan the whole time for the benefits to add up either...
- 1 vegan day per week (52 days a year) can save nearly 50kgs of CO2 per year. That equates to driving around 130 miles in a petrol or diesel car.
- 1 vegan week per month (12 weeks a year) can save nearly 80kgs of CO2 per year. That equates to the energy needed to charge around 10,000 smart phones.
Try these recipes to get you started...
As well as carbon savings, eating less meat and diary can be good for your health, and your wallet too. It isn't too hard to cook up some delicious vegan dishes as these websites show.
Vegan breakfast recipes suggestions
Vegan dinners to inspire that only take around 20 mins to make
Considering, and reducing, the carbon impact of the food we eat is part of the actions set out in the Green Plans of Trusts across our region and directly supports our Healthier Lives Sustainable Healthcare Principle.