2021: Year in review - veganism goes mainstream

2021 has been a remarkable year - in so many ways. Here is an overview of Vegan Australia's 2021.

A successful World Vegan Month

Now that World Vegan Month has passed, Vegan Australia would like to congratulate the thousands of people, partners, mentors and ambassadors who joined the special November Vegan Easy Challenge! It's our first year as Challenge co-hosts and we're thrilled that participants' feedback showed they had a great experience trying a cruelty-free lifestyle for 30 days. Hearteningly, the majority of Challengers said they will continue to embrace kindness to all beings on an ongoing basis. Curious? The Challenge is free and you can start anytime. Learn more on this great episode of the Vegan Diaries Podcast.

Listen to a snapshot of the interview here.

It's just the 'Veganning'

Despite the tumultuous period in history that was 2021, we remain hopeful due to the ongoing strong growth in veganism throughout Australia and our region. With Australian meat consumption down by 5.5% in the last two years (ABARES), it now stands at the lowest level in 15 years (IBIS World). There is definitely cause for optimism as ever more individuals make the connection between all the reasons to go vegan. 11% of Aussies are now considering adopting a fully vegan diet in the next five years (CHOICE). Plus, 2021 was declared the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables by the UN - so we've had some heavy hitting support behind us from the start! 😉

Some of the achievements our tiny but mighty volunteer team has engaged on this year:

• Supported and expanded our Vegan Australia Certified program by 100% year-on-year
• Endorsed the Plant Based Treaty
• Challenged Prime Minister Scott Morrison and other politicians to go vegan for the climate at COP26
• Quoted across multiple news outlets including: Daily Mail, ABC, Weekly Times and Beef Central
• Contributed articles and content to media outlets such as Plant Based News, Tasmanian Times, Nourish magazine, Sydney Sentinel and Australian Vegans Journal
• Made formal submissions to these Federal and State Government inquiries, reviews and hearings:
  • Long-term Sustainability of the NSW Dairy Industry
  • Ecosystem Decline in Victoria
  • Definitions and Labelling of Meat and Plant-based Foods
  • Australian Dietary Guidelines
  • Preventive Health Strategy
  • NSW Animal Welfare Reform
• Selected as expert judge the 2021 Nourish Vegan Awards
• Appeared as part of events such as National Vegan Week, Sydney Vegan Market, Vegan Festival Adelaide
• Grew our social media by over 5,000 organic followers
• Gave away thousands of dollars worth of prizes in vegan products and experiences through our social media competitions
• Highlighted and championed numerous local and global vegan leaders, Olympic and pro athletes, advocates, celebrities, cooks, entrepreneurs and creatives through our partnerships and online platforms
• Promoted the premiere releases of vegan-friendly films such as Seaspiracy, Milked, They're Trying To Kill Us and Eating Our Way to Extinction
• Petitioned Coles supermarkets to reinstate their support for the promotion of vegan products
• Collaborated on international campaigns such as World Vegan Burger Day and Egg Free Month with our founding role on the Vegan World Alliance
• Strengthened our collaboration with the Vegan Society of Aotearoa New Zealand on promotions such as World Vegan Pizza Day, World Plant Milk Day, World Day for the End of Speciesism and World Vegan Pie Day
• Partnered with the Vegan Easy non-profit initiative to collaborate on expanding their updated 30 Day Challenge as the go-to in Australia and beyond. Including supporting the promotion of 5 new videos showcasing vegan fitness, recipes and shopping tips
• Co-sponsored a reprint of, and distributed thousands of Vegan Easy booklets to cafes, events and community spaces around Australia

Media/Communications Advisor | Animal Justice Party NSW

Details and Position Description HERE. Applications close on 9 January 2022

Remote vegan jobs | Various organisations

Current listing HERE

Wishing you a #KindChristmas

There's still time to throw together some cruelty-free holiday celebrations! Here are some resources to help:

• This selection of recipes and tips curated by the Vegan Easy team is brimming with cheer.
• Fancy a Mediterranean-inspired Christmas menu? The Vegan Italian Kitchen has your summer spread sorted.
• Take the Edgars' Mission #KindChristmas pledge and you'll unlock a free ebook filled with festive recipes. Watch and learn how to make the Ultimate Vegan Pavlova:

Taking time offline to explore Vegan Australia!

The team at Vegan Australia will be taking a digital break over the festive season. Now that some parts of Australia are cautiously beginning to open back up to travel and social gatherings, you'll find us (COVID-safely) sampling some of the vegan events that have re-launched themselves across the country. As well as supporting our favourite cafes, shops, sanctuaries and the great outdoors that have been so sorely missed these past 18 months. You can search and discover what vegan events are happening in your area via our partnership with VegEvents.

Our gift to you...

We have a 60-day complementary subscription to Films For Change for all Vegan Australia supporters. This ad-free platform includes a growing list of vegan films including The Invisible Vegan, PowerPlant and The End of Meat.

Start watching now

Vegan Australia is funded by our supporters and donations from the public. With your generous contribution, you can become a vital part of our registered charity's efforts to promote veganism through further research, education, outreach and campaigns. Thank you for making the world a better place for all beings.

The incredible growth in the vegan movement in 2021 has been due to tens of thousands of concerned Australians alongside our global plant-powered community. We'd like to thank everyone who has been part of helping build the momentum into the mainstream this year.

Let us continue in 2022 until every animal is free.

Start the year vegan!

Make 2022 your kindest year yet by trying the free Vegan Easy Challenge or recommending it to a plant-curious person in your life by scrolling down to our 'Invite a Friend' section.

2022...

We've got big plans to shake up the systems that underpin the animal agriculture industrial complex. Stay tuned for the new year when we'll announce our exciting Federal Election campaign!

Wishing you safe, kind and happy holidays,
from Vegan Australia