Veganuary’s 10th anniversary expands into space aboard SpaceX ISS mission
Veganuary, the global campaign to try vegan for January and beyond, expanded into space in 2023 by sending a flag bearing its logo to the International Space Station where it orbited Earth 4,400 times. This landmark event coincides with Veganuary’s 10th anniversary as the very first pledge took place in January 2014.
The initiative was the brainchild of Richard Garner, founder, and director of The Space Collective, who is also celebrating 10 years of being vegan this year.
Speaking about his idea, Richard says: “Why launch the first Veganuary flag into space? Well, why not? The future of spaceflight is vegan after all. Curious? You should be! See, when humanity finally settles on a new world, those first brave explorers will be vegan by necessity. Transporting the materials necessary to grow plants in space is considerably easier than transporting live animals. This is why NASA and other space agencies’ endeavours in prolonged spaceflight are centred around establishing greenhouses in space and on new worlds. Even as we speak, aboard the International Space Station where the Veganuary flag flew, there is a Vegetable Production System that allows astronauts to grow their own food. This also has the added benefit of enhancing the astronaut’s happiness and well-being as it is a touch of nature from home. It is amazing what a little bit of greenery does for the soul, isn’t it?
The flag spent 275 days in space, orbiting Earth 4,400 times, travelling 112,000,000 nautical miles, and passing over every country on Earth. In a way, the flag followed the same journey as us, spreading the hope of a kinder, more compassionate world across the globe. Start as you mean to go on, right? To the stars with kindness.”
Veganuary’s Head of Communications, Dr Toni Vernelli, says: “It’s amazing how the presence and acceptance of veganism has grown around the world in the past 10 years and I know Veganuary’s friendly, non-judgemental, just-give-it-a-go-for-a-month-and-see-what-you-think approach has played an instrumental role in this shift.” She added: “We’re thrilled to be now taking our message into space to spread this positive vegan vision even further. To everyone who took their first step towards a vegan diet with us in January 2014 – Happy 10th Veganniversary! To everyone taking their first step with us today – welcome to a growing movement taking positive action for a better world – and future worlds.”
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