Veganuary 2024: Why you should make trying out veganism a New Year's Resolution this January

Common resolutions include things to improve our health or fitness (perhaps by joining a gym or giving up the booze), or our financial situation, or even to travel more - or find a new hobby to love. But now's a better time than ever to make a New Year's resolution than will help the planet.

Not everyone knows this, but the whole Veganuary movement - and the related educational non-profit - were actually started in the UK. Since its first iteration in 2014, the event has grown in size each year - from nearly 13,000 sign-ups to more than 700,000 people taking part in 2023. Supermarkets, restaurants, and even football clubs are getting on board - with more deals, promotions, and exciting new products to try than ever before.

If you opt to sign up for the challenge on the official Veganuary website, you'll get friendly and supportive advice dropped into your email inbox throughout January. From entire cookbooks of delicious plant-based recipes designed by top chefs, to encouragement when you're tempted to pack it all in for a bacon butty.

But probably the best thing about it is that this support is kind, inclusive, and non-judgmental. As it says in the very first welcome email the Veganuary team sends out: "Veganuary is for everyone. No matter your previous diet, or your intentions once your vegan pledge is over, you won't be judged. I'm here to support you and make eating vegan fun."

If you've been at all rattled by news we're experiencing the world's hottest year on record, or saddened by the impact you can see climate change having on plants and animals, you wouldn't be alone - and even trying out a plant-based diet for just one month can make a difference. David Attenborough himself, possibly the world's most famed naturalist, has given his strongest endorsement yet of plant-based diets to protect wildlife in a recent episode of Planet Earth III.

In the 'Human' episode, Attenborough drew clear links between agricultural land used to raise livestock and the food they need, and deforestation. "Currently the vast majority of agricultural land – more than 75% – is used to raise livestock and this is very inefficient,” he said, adding that there are solutions. "One is considering what we eat."

“If we shift away from eating meat and dairy and move towards a plant-based diet then the sun’s energy goes directly into growing our food. Because that’s so much more efficient, we could still produce enough to feed us but do so using a quarter of the land," Sir David said, adding that this would free up an area the size of the US, the EU, China, and Australia combined - which could then be "given back" to nature.

As well as stopping the devastating clearing and burning of the Amazon rainforest to farm cattle and grow soy for animal feed - which would protect the homes of the lovable sloths and long-maned wolves featured in the show - changing what we eat can slash our own personal carbon footprints. A major University of Oxford study from earlier this year found that plant-based eating had a substantially lower environmental impact across metrics including land use, water pollution risk, water use and biodiversity loss - and produced just a quarter of the greenhouse gases of high-meat diets.

I review vegan meat alternatives for fun (like tuna, buffalo wings, and bacon - all made from plants) and can vouch for the fact that almost any meat or cheese you end up craving, you can find a company working hard to bring you a delicious alternative.

So why not give it a try, even if it's just for a month? You might discover new recipes that expand your usual weeknight repertoire, or end up eating more fruit and veg - and feeling better for it. Every little change we make can make a difference to the world, at a time when that's more crucial than ever.

If you'd like, you can formally sign up for the Veganuary challenge on its official website here.