November 1 is World Vegan Day! This holiday was first established in 1994 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vegan Society (from the UK).
The Vegan Society was founded in 1944 by a small group of vegan pioneers who saw the need for an organized society to spread the vegan message. The Vegan Society is still the leading vegan charity and campaign organization in the UK today. They work to educate people about veganism and support those who are already vegan, while also advocating for animal rights and promoting veganism as a more ethical and environmentally-friendly way of life. Veganism is a lifestyle that abstains from using any animal products, including food, clothing, and cosmetics. The Vegan Society defines veganism as "the philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose."
Veganism has been around in some form for centuries. Early vegans included the philosopher Pythagoras and the poet Ovid. In more recent history, veganism has gained traction as a response to the mistreatment of animals in factory farms. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Clinton, Kevin Hart, and Beyonce have all spoken about their vegan diets.
In recent years, veganism has been gaining popularity as more and more people are looking to improve their health. To avoid animal-derived ingredients or cruelty to animals, vegan is by default a plant-based diet. Following a plant-based diet means that one must eliminate all animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, and honey. A vegan diet has been shown to improve heart health, increase energy levels, and help with weight loss, and is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer, arthritis, and diabetes. For all the benefits that vegan diets provide, a 100% vegan diet often lacks certain vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, iron, calcium, and collagen. This is why vegans need to supplement their diet with foods that are rich in these nutrients or take a vegan multivitamin.
Veganism doesn't just benefit your health, but it is also good for the environment. Veganism eliminates the need for factory farming, which can be a leading cause of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, reduces the amount of deforestation, as vegan diets do not require grazing land for farmed animals, and reduces our carbon footprint by eliminating the need to transport animal products. As such, a vegan diet is also considered a sustainable diet (than non-vegan), as plant-based foods also require less water and land to produce than animal products.
For many though, being vegan is first and foremost a way to reduce and/or eliminate animal cruelty, exemplified by the phrase "vegan for the animals". Animals raised for food often live in cramped, unsanitary conditions and are given Growth Hormones and Antibiotics to fatten them up and keep them alive in these conditions. These animals are also subject to painful procedures such as debeaking, castration, and tail docking without the use of painkillers. Male chicks born into the egg industry are killed because they cannot lay eggs and are not the right breed to be raised for meat. Dairy cows are kept pregnant so that they will produce milk, and their calves are taken away within hours of being born so that the milk produced can be sold to humans instead. Once these cows' milk production starts to decline, they too are sent to slaughter. In the cosmetics and beauty industry, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, and mice are all used in product testing, often being subjected to force-feeding, skin and eye irritation tests, and toxicology tests where they are force-fed large quantities of a test substance to determine the lethal dose. These animals typically experience a great deal of suffering during these tests and most do not survive.
And this is why World Vegan Day exists, to spread awareness about veganism and its many benefits in the hopes of reducing animal cruelty. World Vegan Day is celebrated every year on November 1st, which also happens to be the start date of "Vegan Month" or "World Vegan Month". The Vegan Society encourages people to try vegan for November as part of a campaign to spread awareness about veganism and its benefits.
There are many ways to get involved in World Vegan Day festivities, whether you're a vegan or just curious about veganism and want to try vegan.
So how can you get involved in World Vegan Day? Here are five ideas:
1. Check the labels on your food and cosmetics products to determine if the product is vegan and cruelty-free. You might be surprised to find out that some of your favorite products are vegan and cruelty-free and you have already been "trying vegan"! Continue to support these brands and products.
2. Research vegan recipes and experiment with vegan cooking. There are plenty of vegan recipes online or in cookbooks. Check out https://www.theeburgerdude.com/ for some inspiration. He focuses on recreating popular non-vegan fast-food meals but is 100% vegan.
3. Host a vegan potluck or dinner party and invite your friends and family to try vegan food. This is a great way to show non-vegans that vegan food can be delicious and also a fun way to get people together.
4. Shop vegan. Make an effort to buy vegan products on World Vegan Day (and every day!). This includes food, cosmetics, and clothing. Want an easy and simple way to do this? Just shop here at Wegano! We only sell vegan and cruelty-free, plant-based products, including food, cosmetics, clothing, and personal care.
5. Donate to a vegan charity. Many organizations work to promote veganism and protect animals' rights. Consider donating to one of these charities on World Vegan Day. In addition, Wegano donates 10% of all profits to the Wegano Foundation, a private foundation that donates to organizations that promote veganism and protect animal rights, such as animal sanctuaries.
No matter how you choose to celebrate, World Vegan Day is a great opportunity to learn more about veganism and to support cruelty-free living.
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