How can I celebrate World Vegan Day?
World Vegan Day happens every November 1st. There are all sorts of effective ways to celebrate. But don’t limit it to just one day, you can observe World Vegan Day all year! See the list below to get some ideas!
What is World Vegan Day?
First, what the heck is World Vegan Day anyway? World Vegan Day is an annual celebration that initially began to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the UK Vegan Society. That was back in 1994 and since the day has become a worldwide observance of veganism.
How to Celebrate World Vegan Day?
Here’s a list of 12 things you can do to observe World Vegan Day! These are. by no means, the only ways to do so! What are you doing today? Comment below!
- Go Vegan
- Share a Plant-Based Meal with a Friend
- Visit, Volunteer, and/or Donate to an Animal Sanctuary
- Try Out a New Plant-Based Recipe
- Read a Vegan Book or Give One as a Gift
- Host a Vegan Documentary Party
- Learn More About Veganic Gardening
- Share Vegan Information and Resources
- Host a Vegan Potluck
- Bake Vegan Cookies and Bring to a Neighbor or Friend
- Volunteer at a Vegan Organization
- Observe a Moment of Silence for All Needless Suffering
Go Vegan
Of all the things you could do to enjoy a meaningful observance of World Vegan Day, going vegan yourself is the most impactful. Going vegan and living in accordance with what is most likely your own already existing moral values can make your life and the lives of countless others better. You’re being kind to the animals, of course, and the planet that also suffers under animal agriculture. By committing to a lifestyle that doesn’t require the exploitation of animals, you’re also being kind to yourself by allowing the expression of your own compassionate nature.
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Share a Plant-Based Meal with a Non-Vegan Friend
Show a friend how delicious a plant-based meal can be! Make something at home and invite them over or take them out to your favorite vegan-friendly restaurant. The meal doesn’t have to be overly fussy. Something simple but tasty can be incredibly effective at showing a non-vegan that plant-based dishes are just as good, or better than what they’re used to.
Visit, Volunteer, and/or Donate to an Animal Sanctuary
Animal sanctuaries allow visitors to get up close and personal with rescued farmed animals and aid in understanding them as sentient beings and individuals. A few hours at a sanctuary can be enlightening. Perhaps even better would be a day volunteering your time to work at the sanctuary. While this is a serious responsibility it can also be fun to get to know the animals and provide care to them. Donating money or supplies is another way to help.
Animal sanctuaries can be easier to locate than you might believe. Check online to find one close to you. There are larger sanctuaries, micro sanctuaries, and everything in between. Always call and arrange any onsite visit or volunteering well beforehand. Most sanctuaries are not equipped or staffed to handle unannounced visitors.
Try Out a New Plant-Based Recipe
Try something you’ve never tried before. There are thousands of vegan and plant-based recipes out there and some of them will surely be new to you. Perhaps investigating a new spice or another ingredient you’re not familiar with could lead to a new favorite.
Check out some recipes and recipe collections here and elsewhere and find something that’s new to you! You never know, it may become a favorite!
Read a Vegan Book or Give One as a Gift
There are so many great books out there about veganism and related topics. You can choose from a variety of cookbooks, vegan philosophy, and other niche topics such as raising vegan children. See what your local bookstore has and if they have any recommendations, check out your library and their in-person and online lending options, and also check out online booksellers.
A book is always a thoughtful gift as well, so get one for yourself and one to give as a gift! If you’re looking for a children’s book that’s vegan-themed, check out our guide, Vegan Children’s Books.
Host a Vegan Documentary Party
Choose a few vegan documentaries and invite some friends over for some flicks and plant-based snacks. Keep in mind that some vegan documentaries are quite disturbing. Choose the films that will be informative but also won’ be too difficult to watch. Some well-done movies include The Gamechangers, Seaspiracy, Cowspiracy, Vegucated, What the Health, Forks Over Knives, and more. Many are available on streaming services like Netflix and there are even more on sites like Youtube.
Learn More About Veganic Gardening
Organic farming use a tremendous amount of animal products and byproducts from the animal agriculture industry. Nearly all organic produce will have been grown primarily with fertilizers that include bone meal, blood meal, feathers, manures, even entire fish that have been ground up. Veganic gardening, on the other hand, is organic but uses no animal products. Instead of animals manures, veganic gardening will use “green” manures like clover or even simply occasional grass clippings.
Share Vegan Information and Resources
Share vegan information and resources with others who might benefit. This can be in person via leafletting in public spaces or sharing books, brochures, and other info with those you know. This form of activism is also particularly effective by sharing info in online spaces. Share an interesting link or an informative meme. Knowledge is power and information can be persuasive.
Host a Vegan Potluck
Vegan potlucks can be so much fun. Hosting one can be a way to meet other local vegans or the vegan-curious. Vegan potlucks are like any other potluck except all the food shared is going to be plant-based. Invite friends and others and let them know they can bring a dish to pass. Including an ingredients list to place near their dish is also a good idea. Some people do have other dietary restrictions in addition to being vegan so letting everyone know what is in what is a good and considerate idea.
Bake Vegan Cookies and Bring to a Neighbor or Friend
Who doesn’t like cookies? I don’t know anyone. Bake a big, tasty batch of vegan cookies and bring it to a neighbor or friend. There are tons of recipes out there for every kind of cookie imaginable. Share your creations and see how they like them! Don’t forget to bring a carton of plant-based milk to go with them!
Volunteer at a Vegan Organization
Not all volunteer opportunities involve working at an animal sanctuary. Volunteer at a local animal rights organization, participate in other events that are volunteer. Whatever your skill, use it! Online is a great place to find a place to volunteer to help animals as well. If you’re a writer, share your work online. The same if you’re a photographer, artist, or just about anything else. Vegan and animal rights organizations need all the help they can get.
Observe a Moment of Silence for All Needless Suffering
Take a moment to observe a moment of silence for all sentient beings who suffer from so much that’s intentionally and unintentionally inflicted upon them.
If you don’t find silence appealing but would like to observe using sound, a particularly moving spoken or sung mantra that can be used instead is “Lokah samastah sukino bhavantu.” It means, quite loosely translated, “May all beings be happy and free.” Here’s one version, although there are many.
Resources for World Vegan Day
Documentaries to Watch
Watch these provocative and enlightening documentaries alone or with friends. Each provides unique but compelling reasons to follow your heart and go vegan. Click the link to go directly to the trailer or the film.
73 Cows
"73 Cows is the BAFTA-winning story of Jay & Katja Wilde, beef farmers who battle with their conscience every time they take their cows to slaughter. Feeling trapped within an industry he no longer believes in, Jay knows he must make a change and do what no other farmer from the UK has ever done before."
COWSPIRACY
"COWSPIRACY: The Sustainability Secret (http://cowspiracy.com) is a groundbreaking feature-length environmental documentary following an intrepid filmmaker as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today, and investigates why the world's leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it."
H.O.P.E. What You Eat Matters (2018) - Full Documentary
"H.O.P.E. What You Eat Matters" is a new, life-changing documentary uncovering and revealing the effects of our typical Western diet on our health, the environment, and animals. Featuring Jane Goodall, T. Colin Campbell, Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Vandana Shiva, Melanie Joy, and many other experts, the film has a clear message: By changing our eating habits, we can change the world!
Earthlings Documentary
EARTHLINGS is a 2005 American documentary film about humankind's total dependence on animals for economic purposes. Presented in five chapters (pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and scientific research) the film is narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, featuring music by Moby, and was written, produced, and directed by Shaun Monson.
VEGAN 2020 - The Film
The Plant Based News documentary about how animal agriculture has devastated our planet's health, our health, and may doom us to neverending zoonotic pandemics.
Running for Good: The Fiona Oakes Documentary - Trailer
"From executive producer James Cromwell and director Keegan Kuhn comes Running for Good: The Fiona Oakes Documentary, the feature-length sports documentary following world record marathon runner Fiona Oakes in her attempt not only to set a new global record in endurance racing, but to compete in the "toughest footrace on earth", the Marathon Des Sables, a 250km race through the Sahara."
Blackfish Official Trailer
"BLACKFISH tells the story of Tilikum, a notoriously aggressive orca that killed three people while in captivity. Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite uses shocking footage and emotional interviews to present a convincing case against keeping these wild animals for human entertainment."
The Game Changers | Official Trailer
"A UFC fighter learns everything he'd been taught about protein was a lie."
Before the Flood - Trailer | National Geographic
"From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens and Academy Award-winning actor, and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio, BEFORE THE FLOOD presents a riveting account of the dramatic changes now occurring around the world due to climate change."
A Prayer for Compassion - Official Trailer
"The film follows Thomas Jackson on a quest across America, that ultimately takes him to Morocco for the UN Climate Conference and throughout the Indian subcontinent to ask the questions, 'Can compassion grow to include all beings? And can people who identify as religious or spiritual come to embrace the call to include all human and nonhuman beings in our circle of respect and caring and love?'"
Forks Over Knives - Official Trailer
"Forks Over Knives empowers people to live healthier lives by changing the way the world understands nutrition."
Live And Let Live - Trailer
"Live and Let Live is a feature documentary examining our relationship with animals, the history of veganism and the ethical, environmental and health reasons that move people to go vegan."
Cookbooks and Site for Recipes
Check out these cookbooks that offer recipes for delicious plant-based meals to enjoy yourself and make for friends!
The Plant Based Diet for Beginners: 75 Delicious, Healthy Whole Food Recipes
Eat healthy, whole-food meals with this supportive, must-have WFPB cookbook.
The Big Book of Vegan Cooking: 175 Recipes for a Healthy Vegan Lifestyle
"Vegan food is so much more than salad―you just need the right recipes to bring your healthy lifestyle to life. This standout among vegan cookbooks has a plethora of plant-based dishes to keep your meals exciting, ranging from vegan twists on comfort food favorites to creative innovations."
The Complete Plant Based Cookbook For Beginners: 550 Plant-Based Healthy Diet Recipes To Cook Quick & Easy Meals
Delicious plant-based recipes that are easy to make! LOTS of recipes here!
Books to Read and Share
Any in this list of powerful books may help you on your vegan journey. They're suitable to keep or give to family and friends.
Main Street Vegan: Everything You Need to Know to Eat Healthfully and Live Compassionately in the Real World
"Author and holistic health practitioner Victoria Moran started eating only plants nearly thirty years ago, raised her daughter, Adair, vegan from birth, and maintains a sixty-pound weight loss. In Main Street Vegan, Moran offers a complete guide to making this dietary and lifestyle shift with an emphasis on practical "baby steps," proving that you don’t have to have a personal chef or lifestyle coach on speed dial to experience the physical and spiritual benefits of being a vegan."
Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism
"Social psychologist Melanie Joy explores the many ways we numb ourselves and disconnect from our natural empathy for farmed animals. She coins the term "carnism" to describe the belief system that has conditioned us to eat certain animals and not others."
Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy
"Dominion is a plea for human benevolence and mercy, a scathing attack on those who would dismiss animal activists as mere sentimentalists, and a demand for reform from the government down to the individual. Matthew Scully has created a groundbreaking work, a book of lasting power and importance for all of us."
The Good Karma Diet: Eat Gently, Feel Amazing, Age in Slow Motion
"Many popular diets call for avoiding some foods or eating others exclusively. But as The Good Karma Diet reveals, the secret to looking and feeling great is actually quite simple: Treat our planet and all its inhabitants well. In this revolutionary book, bestselling author Victoria Moran reveals that by doing what’s best for all creatures and the planet, you align your eating with your ethics—a powerful health and wellness tool if there ever was one!"
The World Peace Diet: Eating for Spiritual Health and Social Harmony
"What is so simple as eating an apple? And yet, what could be more sacred or profound? Food is our most intimate and telling connection both with the natural order and with our cultural heritage. But it is increasingly clear that the choices we make about food today are leading to environmental degradation, enormous human health problems, and unimaginable cruelty toward our fellow creatures."
Allowed to Grow Old: Portraits of Elderly Animals from Farm Sanctuaries
"Isa Leshko shows us, brilliantly, with this collection of portraits. To create these portraits, she spent hours with her subjects, gaining their trust and putting them at ease. The resulting images reveal the unique personality of each animal. It’s impossible to look away from the animals in these images as they unforgettably meet our gaze, simultaneously calm and challenging. In these photographs we see the cumulative effects of the hardships of industrialized farm life, but also the healing that time can bring, and the dignity that can emerge when farm animals are allowed to age on their own terms."
