4 reasons to try Veganuary.

Animals Australia is the official Australian partner of Veganuary, an initiative inspiring people to opt for plant-based food for the month of January – and beyond – to create a kinder future for all.

Here are four reasons to give Veganuary a go:

While working to end animal cruelty for nearly forty years, we’ve come to learn that choosing to leave animals off our plates is one of the most powerful ways to make a meaningful difference.

Animals categorised as ‘food’ suffer in the highest numbers. To produce meat, dairy and eggs for human consumption, animals are forced to endure legalised cruelty on Australian farms and have their lives cut short at just fractions of their natural life spans. Yet these animals crave comfort and safety just as much as the companion animals we share our homes and hearts with.

Every plant-based meal reduces the demand for animal products, and helps reduce the extensive suffering farmed animals endure hidden behind the walls of factory farms and slaughterhouses.

Farming animals for food is the single biggest driver of natural habitat destruction worldwide, pushing native animals out of their homes.

Some ‘protected’ native species are even killed or shot at to protect industry interests; native dingoes are being poisoned or shot in certain areas of Australia, and seals are ‘deterred’ from fish farms using dangerous explosive devices.

The survival of wildlife relies on us learning to better share this planet that is home to us all, and a big part of that is shifting the way we think about – and consume – food.

As well as being a major driver of habitat loss, animal agriculture is also a significant contributor to pollution, human-caused climate change, and disease risks.

The waste generated by factory farms has been found to contaminate the surrounding soil and water, and even run off into the oceans, causing dead zones.

The conditions within these systems also heighten the risk of disease outbreaks, with intensive confinement and poor hygiene contributing to the emergence of illnesses such as bird flu and swine flu – causing suffering for animals and threatening human health worldwide.

By shifting to a more plant-based food system, we can help preserve and restore the planet so that future generations of humans and animals can survive and thrive.

Earth’s oceans, once teeming with life, are now under immense pressure from human activity – and the ‘seafood’ industry is one of the biggest culprits.

Gear discarded or lost by the fishing industry is a leading source of plastic pollution in the ocean. This ‘ghost gear’ is deadly to marine animals who can easily become entangled and die slow, painful deaths, be predated upon when unable to escape, or ingest smaller, broken-down pieces of plastic. Many offshore fish farms let faeces, food waste, and antibiotics spill directly into the ocean, and can destroy surrounding marine ecosystems.

The kindest and most sustainable choice we can make is to leave sea animals in their ocean homes where they belong.

Your Veganuary journey won’t only extend kindness to animals, but it can also be an amazing gift to give yourself. If you’re new to eating plant-based food, you may be surprised – and hopefully delighted – to discover all the incredible impacts it can have on your health and wellbeing.

Whether you plan to go it alone or ask friends and family to join you, rest assured you’ll be well-supported throughout your journey with an e-cookbook, starter kit, and emails with nutritional info, delicious recipes, meal plans and advice.