As this year comes to an end, Veganuary 2022 is slated to be the organization’s biggest campaign yet. Veganuary – the international challenge that urges people to adopt a vegan diet for the month of January – recently revealed an impressive list of supporters that include New York mayor Eric Adams, poet Benjamin Zephaniah, acclaimed chef Matthew Kenney, tennis champion Venus Williams, and many more. Stars from around the globe will promote the annual campaign, asking people to take direct action to nurture sustainability and fight the climate crisis.

The Veganuary 2022 campaign launched on December 8, supported by an impressive list of celebrity and activist sponsors. The campaign highlight the environmental dangers of animal agriculture in an effort to draw consumer attention to the negative environmental impact that stems from meat and dairy production. The charitable organization hopes to make the vegan diet feel accessible, encouraging people to try it for a limited time before overcommitting to a “daunting” task.

“Although changing our diets is crucial to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, it can seem daunting, ”Veganuary’s Head of Communications Toni Vernelli said. “Signing up to Veganuary makes it much easier as our free pledge is full of helpful tips and advice, including a seven-day low carbon meal plan highlighting simple swaps that slash the carbon footprint of classic British dishes.”

Veganuary offers guidance throughout the month of January, providing participants with resources to make the plant-based diet easier for first-timers. The organization is working to expand its call to action, which now includes India, the UK, the US, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile as campaign centers.

Supporters including Kenney and Adams hope that Veganuary will broadcast the importance of plant-based foods within the US and globally. The international backers will also include James Moore, Sadie Frost, and Joanna Lumley. All the celebrity backers will help the organization spread the urgent call for plant-based eating, and bring communities together with health, environmental, and ethical motivations.

“No matter what your past habits or family traditions might have been, you always have the power to choose to eat healthier,” Adams said. “You can incorporate foods that tie into your heritage while reinventing comfort food the way it was always intended: as healing for the mind, body, and soul. Try vegan this Veganuary!”

This year, all participants will receive the campaign’s signature cookbook, filled with recipes meant to help new plant-based eaters try vegan food. The cookbook will contain recipes from Williams and Frost as well as musician Bryan Adams, renowned ethologist Jane Goodall, and many more. The recipes will be designed to make plant-based eating feel simple during the month-long trial period.

The organization reported that last year's Veganuary reached 580,000 participants across 209 countries. Over recent years, the campaign’s outreach has grown exponentially, expecting a much larger turnout this year. During the Veganuary campaign, 825 new vegan products and menus were launched in dedication to the pledge, signifying the influence of the event.

The non-profit also conducted a report six months after last year’s Veganuary that found that 82 percent of participants maintained a dramatic reduction in animal-based product consumption. Thirty percent of participants reported that they maintained a fully vegan diet following the month-long pledge. While this year’s participants prepare for January, celebrity backers from across the globe aim to engage their followings and top the record-breaking turnout from last year.

"As a chef focused on plant-based cuisine for over 20 years, I am beyond grateful for having the opportunity to be a part of the new global food paradigm - a path which brings together culinary art and wellness seamlessly and what is the only logical choice for our planet's future," Kenney said.

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