2021 really took it’s time to roll around, didn’t it? Here we are, starting it off with a bang or a Ve-bang-uary (Veganuary)! If you found the vegan challenge this month hard or couldn’t get through it with a clean slate, we want you to know that it’s okay. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Simply putting the effort into reducing your consumption of animal products - step by step - is what really counts.
Why did we decide to write this blog? Well, because our carbon footprints (obviously) aren’t limited to our Veganuary lifestyle and whether or not we live vegan really has a MASSIVE impact. We know it’s not for everyone but here’s the thing: collectively, if we ALL went “a little more vegan”, it adds up!
The WWF’s top tips for reducing your footprint are to eat more seasonally and eat less meat and dairy. If you’re curious about your own footprint, check out Global Footprint Network’s carbon footprint calculator.
"If you look at the climate crisis or the violence of our food system and feel helpless, thinking 'I wish there was something I could do' - you can. Right now. Sign up to try vegan this January" Joaquin Phoenix
Trying Veganuary is a great way to lend the planet a helping hand. We think it’s all about being creative and trying out as many delicious vegan recipes as you can while opening your mind to the possibility of a tasty, nutritious and fashionable plant-based lifestyle. The trick is not to eat a boring salad every day and to let Beagle find the perfect vegan alternatives for you.
Just as Beagle will tirelessly sniff out new products by your side: February doesn’t need to be the end of your vegan journey. Let it be the beginning of a new, more plant-based future.
Beagle’s Vegan Treats
One key thing for a truly sustainable vegan lifestyle is to try to buy fruit and vegetables that are in season - this really helps in reducing your carbon footprint. Eating seasonally often tastes better and costs less than food that has been imported from warmer countries or grown in a greenhouse out of season.
Eating seasonally: Consuming food fit to be harvested at the same time of year you are planning on using and eating them.
Having a seasonal product calendar to hand helps and you can also download seasonal product apps such as the ‘Seasonal Food Guide’ App.
We’ve also got some great vegan food picks to share, starting with this garlic aioli vegenaise that feels essential for anything bread based and even for some chip dipping! Moreover, this vegan chocolate bar bundle from Seed & Bean will keep your pantry fully stocked for those weekend Netflix binges!
Finally, we have found that vegan cookbooks are definitely the secret to a fun and varied vegan diet! We highly recommend ‘East’ by Meera Sodha that will provide you with 120 vegan and vegetarian Asian-inspired recipes. We also love ‘The Seasonal Vegan’ by Sarah Philpott which will help you utilise the produce the UK has to offer according to season!
We’d love to hear what cookbooks have helped you get through this or past Veganuarys - let us know on our Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
More than a diet?
Of course, there’s a lot more to a plant-based lifestyle than ‘just food’. Here are some other vegan alternatives that Beagle has dug up for you. Two of our favourites of the moment are the vegan food wrap from EcoVibe and this EcoLeaf vegan multi-surface cleaner. For our top vegan fashion picks, we’ve sniffed out Votch, a woman-run UK based company that makes vegan leather watches.
As the number of work from home/lockdown beards continue to grow, we’ve sniffed this vegan beard oil from FairyPants - another woman-run company with everything made in the UK. As for those that want to escape their lockdown life for a while, we’ve found the perfect vegan leaf leather journal from Thamon for all your 2021 ideas, aspirations and daydreams. Thamon makes a bunch of accessories and bags all made of vegan leaf and cork leather. The leaves used for their items are collected by the local people and consist of only fallen leaves! We hope they left the sticks for the Beagles though...
We also think you should check out this organic vegan exfoliating face scrub from Blushberry Botanicals who keep their plastic packaging to a minimum and also have a whole range of skincare. Pair this face scrub up with these vegan soya candles from Buff Natural Body Care that are plastic-free and environmentally-friendly and you’ll have the perfect self-care evening! Let’s not forget how much hand sanitiser we’ve been using recently, but have you chosen the best products for your skin, the environment and your health? This vegan hand sanitising spray from Purdy & Figg kills 99.99% of bacteria whilst making your hands smell great and moisturised. Their products are made of premium natural ingredients and stored in a glass bottle - not forgetting the horticulturalist and NHS nurse who started it all!
Beagle’s final piece of advice: the most sustainable product is the one you already own. With most items it’s best to use them until the end of their lifespan before making the more sustainable swap! A big thanks to all of you who have taken the initiative to purchase fewer animal products - let’s give the planet a helping hand!
“If you give nature a chance, it recovers.” - Sir David Attenborough
Who are we again?
Beagle is here to help you make switching to more sustainable and eco-friendly goods easier. We will act as the middle-man between you and the perfect sustainable alternative you’re after by doing all the research for you. From fashion to homeware to foods, you can pick ‘vegan’ and more as one of your preferences and we’ll notify you whenever we find a “better” option for the product you’re looking at.
By downloading the Beagle Button, we can continue to help you find great products like these, helping you make more informed and conscious decisions, paving the way for a more sustainable future. Sign up ahead of our launch on our homepage.
A note on affiliate links
Every product we feature has been thoroughly researched and is often used by the team. Some of the brands we work with will provide a commission when our readers or users buy their products. Some of the links in this blog may be such affiliate links - but this is paid by the brands, and you won't pay more as a result!