Celebrate this World Vegan Month

World Vegan Month kicks off with World Vegan Day, an annual event held on November 1st that is celebrated by vegans all around. 

For the month of November, Vegans and those curious about living the vegan lifestyle, come together to reflect on the success of the vegan movement and to showcase how easy, accessible and beneficial it is to live a healthy vegan lifestyle. 

What is Veganism?

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The Vegan Society, founded in 1944 by five non-dairy vegetarians, settled on the word ‘VEGAN’ using the first two and last two letters of the word vegetarian. The phrasing of the meaning behind Veganism has been amended over time, but the definition still remains the same at heart today, as it did over 75 years ago; 

"Veganism is a 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; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."

So what is a vegan lifestyle?
Living a vegan lifestyle means you choose to support brands and companies that do not exploit animals for any gain. 
As a consumer, by simply choosing to make more ethical decisions when purchasing, you are contributing to a better future all living beings.
Living a vegan lifestyle is linked to the kinds of food you eat, the clothes you wear, the products you buy and the general morals you adopt that govern the way you spend your time. 
It's about standing up and having the power to saying no to many conventional means of living or at least questioning them, to ensure that they are not causing any damage to the environment around us.  

What do vegans eat?

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A healthy Vegan would typically eat a diet rich in plant-based wholefoods including, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans and grains. 
It means the exclusion of any meat products be it red or white meat, no dairy including milks and cheeses and no eggs. 
It also means the exclusion of any animal products or bi-product not just from your diet but from the products you use and wear.

So why Veganism? And what are the benefits?

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For the team at Garden of Vegan, Veganism is more than just a diet. It’s about the health of the planet, the health of us as humans and of course the animals. 

Did you know that by going vegan you can save…

Veganism and business
With the vegan movement growing rapidly, many Gold Coast based businesses like Garden of Vegan have adopted healthy, cruelty free and sustainable processes, leading the way when it comes to more ethical solutions.

It is so much easier and more cost effective to choose ‘conventional’ and unethical products/services in business, but that one choice can have lasting and devastating effects on our health and the health of the planet.

From skin care, clothing and apparel, health supplements, food, education and so much more, Garden of Vegan would like to showcase some other local Gold Coast companies doing their part, to celebrate our movement together.

EcoTan;
Founded on the Gold Coast, EcoTan was the first certified organic and cruelty free tanning solution. EcoTan is now a global empire, boasting over 50 awards within the beauty and skincare industry. They are proudly all natural, vegan, toxic free, Australian made and owned and offer innovative green packaging.

“No point being organic and safe to humans yet cruel and deadly to animals. There is absolutely no need for it.” 
Sonya Driver- Founder EcoTan

Sonya has even created a not for profit product with 100% of sales going directly to @rafikicastle to assist with child protection in Africa.
Sonya’s committed to creating a healthier, organic, cruelty free and environmentally friendly eco range.

Find Eco Tan online at; https://ecotan.com.au/ 
And on socials @ecotan and @ecobysonya

Raw Amazonia; 
Australian Certified Organic, heavy metal tested and sustainably sourced. This global company is leading innovation with certified organic, wholefood supplements and plant-based food products. 
Amazonia are committed to non-synthetic, certified organic supplements and hope to empower their community to keep us all accountable when it comes to our Planet Earth.
And… helping the world to #shineBright 

“Amazonia is proud of our vegan-friendly range because we believe in the power of an organic, health-focused approach to life. I live and breathe a plant-based lifestyle with an abundance of energy and fewer health problems. It works for me and I’ve seen it work wonders for the people around me.” – Dwayne Martens, Founder, Amazonia

Check them out at; https://www.amazonia.com
And on socials @amazoniaco #shineBright

Prana On; 
Leaders in natural and organic, health focussed supplements that are 100% cruelty free.

“We believe that our vegan friendly range is better for your health, is more sustainable for the environment, and does not cause harm to any animals. 
We’re also proud to be the first 100% Plant-Based Sports and Health Nutrition brand since 2012!” - Billy Simmonds, Executive Director Prana On.

Prana On’s Power Plant Protein contains the highest quality organic and natural plant based proteins enhanced with branched chain amino acids, probiotics, digestive enzymes, medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) and adaptogens. Perfect for lean muscle gain, is gut health-friendly and formulated to support peak performance and optimum recovery.

Find them at; https://pranaon.com/ 
Or on socials @pranaon

Mane Ethical Hairdressing; 
Mane Ethical Hairdressing is a modern yet quaint salon located in Tallebudgera. Founder Bronwyn has put in place many processes to ensure every possible measure is taken to create a minimal waste salon, including a low tox environment.
Did you know that all the hair cut at Mane, gets recycled and used as hair sausages to help absorb oil spills from the ocean?
Sustainable Salons Australia and New Zealand, rescue salon resources and find repurposing solutions that give back to the community and benefit the environment. 

“Being sustainable and ethical isn't always the easiest of paths, however we made a conscious effort to explore and research salon options that positively contribute to making a better world. We hope you enjoy what we have created.”- Bronwyn Cassells, Founder Mane Ethical Hairdressing 

To learn more about sustainable salons head to; @sustainablesalonsanz
Find Mane Ethical Hairdressing at; https://www.maneethical.com/ 
Or connect on Social Media @maneethicalhair 

Vegan Leather Co; 
Vegan Leather co specialise in vegan clothing and apparel direct from their production house (no sweatshops). They aim to empower everyday people to become better humans by making better consumer choices, including the clothes you wear.

“When you wear one of our t-shirts, hats or rock one of our leather goods we want you to feel empowered that each choice you make, no matter how seemingly small it may be, makes a difference. The common excuse of ‘one person won’t make a difference’ is a lazy persons’ cop out. Each small act accumulates to big impact. Together we are making a difference.” -Amy and Jarrod, Co-founders Vegan Leather Co.

Visit their online store at; https://veganleatherco.com/ 
Or find them on socials @vegan.leather.co

And the list goes on...

“We believe in empowering individuals and their families to make more informed decisions when it comes to their consumer choices. Especially when it comes to cruelty free and more sustainable options.” -Benny Walker, Co-founder at Garden of Vegan. 

Did you know that for every order placed each week, Garden of Vegan plant a tree in Australia?

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“If we all opt for the more conscious choices now, the demand will increase making these options more affordable and accessible, whilst helping to lessen our footprint. Eco friendly business needs to be the new norm.”  Damien Turner, Co-Founder at Garden of Vegan.

How to celebrate World Vegan Month
Celebrations all around the world are taking place in the form of vegan potlucks within local communities, community outreaches and events including online seminars, podcasts, festivals, markets and expo’s ect. 
It is as easy as sharing your favourite vegan tips, tricks, recipes and documentaries on social media or with your friends or family. 
Some are even taking the 30 day Vegan Pledge via VeGuide which can be accessed here;
https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/take-vegan-pledge 

From the famous words of David Attenborough… “The world is in trouble. Continents are on fire, glaciers are melting, coral reefs are dying, fish are disappearing from our oceans... the list goes on and on.”

What better time than now to become more aware of your daily choices. 

We each have the power to make more informed choices when it comes to the products and or services we choose to consume. 

Know that together we can all do our bit to save, protect and preserve this beautiful planet we call home. 

Garden of Vegan and World Vegan Month
This year, Garden of Vegan teamed up with Melbourne based Vegan Food Blogger @panacea_pantry to provide our communities within Australia, with nourishing vegan recipes in the hope to inspire more conscious cooking at home.
Garden of Vegan also offered their online community with a vegan pantry and produce giveaway to celebrate the movement, which they launched on November 1st.

For the rest of the month, Garden of Vegan aims to educate and empower their community to continue to make more informed choices when it comes to their health and the health of the planet, all in the name of Veganism!

Other Vegan initiatives and campaigns
World Vegan Month is just one campaign of many throughout the year to celebrate Veganism. Here are some more vegan inspired campaigns to keep an eye out for;
Live Vegan for Less
Vegan & Thriving
Veganuary
Play Fair with Plant Milk
Climate Emergency
Grow Green
Catering for Everyone
Plate Up for the Planet
Vegan on the Go
Make more Medicines Vegan
Yes it's Vegan
Vegan Vote
Nup to the Cup

Check out; https://www.veganaustralia.org.au/ for more news, events near you and ways to be involved within your local vegan community.

References;
https://www.vegansociety.com/ 
David Attenborough A life on Our Planet 2020

Be sure to check out, our other related blog posts;

Can I sustain a meat free diet? 

Why go meatless?

 Image credit;

Cover image By Юлия Фурман