PEOPLE across the Post area will once again be pledging to cut out food derived from animals throughout January as their new year’s resolution — a campaign more commonly known as ‘Veganuary’.

Veganuary, a non-profit organisation, has inspired people to go vegan for January — and beyond — since 2014. Its yearly new year campaign has often led to changing the minds of those taking part to ditch the dairy and meat altogether in order to lead a plant-based lifestyle.

To be vegan means to eat plant-based foods and avoiding foods and products derived from animals — this includes dairy, meat, eggs and products using animals in any way.

The topic of veganism has attracted its fair share of criticism and triggered debates mainly surrounding farming practices and lifestyle choices, but, according to Veganuary 47% of people have stayed vegan since participating in the 2019 Veganuary campaign.

In addition, more than 25,000 people from 159 countries took part in Veganuary, 46% signed up for health reasons and 77% are likely to try vegan again following the 2019 campaign. For 2020, Veganuary aims to attract more than 350,000 participants.

There has been a 469% increase in people interested in veganism in the UK in the last five years, and it is thought 22-million people now identify as ‘flexitarian’.

This year Veganuary is being supported by a number of household names, including Joker star Joaquin Phoenix, musician Paul McCartney and wildlife TV presenter Chris Packham, to name just a few.

It is argued that veganism protects the environment, prevents animal suffering and improves people’s overall health. Veganuary claims that plant-based diets ‘have proven health benefits, including increased energy levels, lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and it also helps to combat weight gain’.

According to the Veganuary website, it has been calculated that one person eating a vegan diet for a month will save 124,900 litres of water, 84 square metres of forest and 273 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide emissions. THE Post has been in touch with Bude vegan Kate Orchard, who is the founder of North Cornwall Vegans and is looking forward to running the second North Cornwall Vegan Fair in Bude this summer. In this interview, Kate explains why she switched to a vegan diet 12 years ago, and why she thinks we should all try and incorporate more plant-based foods into our own lives:Post: How long have you been vegan? Kate: “I’ve been vegan for 12 years. I initially went vegan because my eczema would flare up after eating dairy products, so I instinctively cut it out and my skin cleared up. “I then researched what really went on in the dairy industry and I was shocked as I had previously been vegetarian for four years thinking that was an ethical choice, but clearly it wasn’t.”Post: Why did you make the decision to go vegan? Kate: “There has been an unstoppable rise in veganism in recent years. This is, in part, down to some informative free documentaries such as ‘The Game Changers’, ‘Forks Over Knives’, ‘Cowspiracy’ and ‘Dominion’, which I highly recommend everyone watch. “The benefits to animals, the environment and human health are huge. Climate change is at the forefront of people’s minds these days and a recent peer reviewed study by Poore and Nemecek from Oxford University states that ‘if everyone cut meat and dairy from their diets there could be a 49% reduction in greenhouse gases from food production and a 76% reduction in land use for food production’.“We could return a lot of the UK to the wild. How amazing would that be! Current livestock farmers should not worry as the Vegan Society has a Grow Green Campaign which helps farmers transition their land from livestock to plant-based production.”Post: What would you say to people who are looking to go vegan or are interested in exploring vegan foods and the lifestyle? Kate: “It’s so easy to be a vegan these days and there is a huge amount of support and resources available, plus the food is delicious! At its core, veganism is simply about not exploiting animals which sadly is the case in the meat, dairy and egg industries.” The second North Cornwall Vegan Fair will be held on Saturday, August 1 at the Parkhouse Centre in Bude from 10.30am to 4.30pm, where a range of delicious vegan foods, tasting samples, activities, and shopping opportunities for clothing and cosmetics will be available to all.

What are your thoughts on veganism and Veganuary? Are you challenging yourself to go vegan this month, or are you opposed to it? Let us know what you think by emailing [email protected]