The ultimate ideal outcome for everyone that tries Veganauary is to stay on board consuming non violently forever, and with the current knowledge of how COVID-19 began (animal agriculture) and how one’s immunity can be raised (a plant-based / ayurvedic diet), veganism has never been so popular!
With another great initiative for non-violent consumption, No Meat May launching this week, with a record number of people signing up there really is no excuse to try to improve individual and collective health, save the planet and the baby animals. The annual campaign urges people to give up meat for 31 days for exactly those reasons – health, the planet, animals and a fairer food system.
Over 25,000 people have signed up so far to leave meat off their plate for May: a 150 per cent increase on last year’s figure.
Research has shown that a plant-based diet is the most significant way to reduce an individual’s carbon footprint, as well as the potential to improve their health. With over 70 billion land animals farmed for food annually, everyone who opts to undertake the 31-day challenge will save, on average, the life of one animal per day during No Meat May (including land and sea animals). They will also reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by around 30% – or 85% if they opt to avoid all animal products including dairy.
Ryan Alexander, No Meat May’s Co-founder, said: “It’s hard to say what the COVID-19 effect is, and whether people are drawing the connection between intensive factory farms and public health concerns, or simply want to learn a new way to cook, and experience the benefits of plant based eating whilst in lockdown.
“We aim to survey participants on their reasons for taking the No Meat May pledge this year, to discover whether the current crisis is having a major effect on people’s eating habits.”
Sales of plant-based food are already increasing during the coronavirus crisis according to several meat-free brands, and new research by Mintel states that the number of meat-eaters reducing or limiting their meat intake stood at 39 per cent in 2019, up from 28 per cent in 2017.
In 2020, No Meat May is providing free, expert guidance on cooking delicious plant-based meals, as well as dietary advice to stay extra strong and healthy during this period of quarantine and social distancing.
The campaign will provide a continuous stream of plant-based recipes, cooking demonstrations and live feeds from a range of top chefs and dietitians (with a few celebrity cameos likely along the way). No Meat May aims to help those cooking at home to eat well and feed their families with healthy, affordable, immunity-boosting meals during this global lock down period.
You can learn more here: www.nomeatmay.net