Most resolutions are aimed at telling you that you’re not good enough. Every January, we’re hit with the same tired messages: Fix yourself. Become someone different. Change everything.
But what if you didn’t need to reinvent yourself?
What if it’s less about changing and more about returning to who you already are?
The world is asking a lot of us right now. So this Veganuary, let’s flip the script and leave the resolution pressure behind: New Year, Same You.
You care deeply about the environment. Perhaps you have an electric car and have swapped flying abroad for staycations? Maybe you’ve switched out single-use items, purchased a reusable cup, ditched fast fashion or regularly choose eco-friendly alternatives.
Well, what if there was a way to still be “you” but with small swaps that allowed you to align yourself a little closer with your inner values and make even more of an impact with your daily choices?
Eating a vegan diet is one of the easiest and most effective things an individual can do for the planet.
When one million people go vegan for just one month, the environmental impact is remarkable. Together, they save 103,840 tonnes of CO2 equivalent – that’s the same as preventing the emissions from driving around the world almost 15,000 times. They save 405 tonnes of PO43-eq (eutrophication), equivalent to 1,645 tonnes of sewage. And they save 6.2 million litres of water – the same as flushing the toilet almost half a million times.
Plant-based foods tend to have a lower carbon footprint than meat and dairy. As Oxford University researchers conclude: “As consumers, the biggest difference we can make is to eat more plant-based sources of protein such as tofu, nuts, peas, and beans. This is the case regardless of where you are in the world.”
It is no wonder that researchers at Oxford University have said that a plant-based diet is “probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use.”
Here’s something that might surprise you: transport accounts for just 5% of food system emissions. What you eat matters much more than how far it has traveled. Locally-produced beef? It’ll have a much larger carbon footprint than peas shipped across continents. Most food travels by boat, not plane, which makes shipping surprisingly carbon-efficient compared to the emissions from actually producing the food.
Meat and dairy production uses 83% of farmland globally yet supplies only 18% of calories and 37% of protein.
The environmental burden is hugely disproportionate to what it creates. Did you know beef has an energy efficiency of about 2%? This means that for every 100 kilocalories you feed a cow, you only get 2 kilocalories of beef back.
Food systems are responsible for around one-quarter (26%) of global greenhouse gas emissions, with 30% of food emissions coming directly from livestock and fisheries!
Swapping your milk makes a big difference: Cow’s milk produces around three times more greenhouse gas emissions, uses around ten times more land, and requires two to twenty times more freshwater than any plant-based alternative.
Looking at the evidence, it shows that individual dietary choices do add up!
For environmental advocates a diet isn’t just a personal choice. It is a climate, resource and biodiversity choice too. Above that, it’s a lever for change.
If you’re wondering if one person can make a difference the answer is “yes”. Especially when you realise you won’t be alone! Over 25.8 million people worldwide chose to try vegan in January 2025. Imagine the impact that made. You can be part of that!
We hoped you’d ask that!
We know it can be a little daunting to dive in, but we’re here to help. If you try vegan with Veganuary, we’ll email you eCookbooks, recipes and meal plans full of mouth-watering meals to inspire you – all for free!
All you need to do to join is click the big button below.
With Veganuary, you don’t need to change your personality. The only change is what’s on your plate – and that’s a small shift that makes a big impact!
Join in to receive a celebrity e-cookbook along with 31 days of inspiring recipes, nutrition tips and more. All our resources are 100% free!
