LOS ANGELES, Dec. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veganuary, the non-profit encouraging people to try vegan for 31 days, is launching an advertisement that shows Bigfoot – voiced by actor James Cromwell – signing up for Veganuary to help cut his carbon Bigfoot-print. The new PSA sends an encouraging message that, despite climate chaos, we are all in this together, while calling on everyone to join the Veganuary challenge and the global community of people who are making positive changes in the new year. The humorous and heart-warming ad is now streaming on HULU and NBCU channels in select cities across the US, as well as in cinemas in the UK and on social media worldwide.
The ad, produced by Kilogramme Animation Studio, shows Bigfoot living alone in the woods, feeling disconnected from the world and the scenes of climate change he sees on social media. But when his best friend Snowman melts to the ground, Bigfoot realizes he is, in fact, connected to the rest of the world and must do his part to save it. So, he decides to change his diet with the help of Veganuary.
Cromwell, star of Succession, Six Feet Under and the Christmas classic Babe, says: “Do the planet and yourself a favor. Take the Veganuary challenge. Make a difference with little or no effort.”
A new survey conducted by YouGov* indicates that nearly one-third (32%) of Americans plan to eat more plant-based/vegan foods in the new year. Veganuary, the global movement that encourages people to go vegan in January and beyond, is creating a new wave of consumers and shoppers with a big appetite in 2022. The recent YouGov survey also indicates that 30% of Americans say their perceptions of a plant-based/vegan diet have changed for the better in the last two years, since Veganuary’s initial launch in the United States.
Veganuary’s US Director, Wendy Matthews, says: “Like our protagonist, many people want to do their part to tackle the climate crisis and know that changing their diet is a good place to start – but it can seem daunting. By signing up to Veganuary they are joining a growing global community that will support them. And hopefully, as bigfoot does in the video, they’ll see that taking collective action feels great!”
More than 582,000 people from 209 countries and territories officially took part in Veganuary last year - compared with 400,000 in 2020 - with the United States ranking number two in terms of sign-ups per country. A recent survey** found that six months after finishing their one-month Veganuary challenge, 82% of those participants who were not vegan when they started had maintained a dramatic reduction in their animal product consumption.
This year’s campaign launch follows on the heels of COP26’s failure to address animal agriculture’s contribution to the climate crisis, as the organization urges people to take climate action into their own hands and try vegan this January. If Veganuary continues with projected growth based on previous years, 2022 participants can collectively save 62,304 metric tons (62,304,000kg) of CO2eq (equivalent to 556,285 flights from NYC to DC***), 243 metric tons of PO43-eq /eutrophication (the same as 987 metric tons of sewage spared from waterways), and 977,436 gallons of water.
About Veganuary
Veganuary is a non-profit organization that encourages people worldwide to try vegan for January and beyond. It was founded in the UK in 2014 and since then more than 1.5 million people have taken the 31-day plant-based pledge to help the planet, reduce animal suffering, and to benefit people, too. This New Year’s revolution has also been embraced by businesses, with restaurants, retailers, and brands around the world launching and promoting new vegan products and menu items for January.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jessie Lingenfelter
Veganuary US Media
jessie@veganuary.com
803-730-2869
www.veganuary.com
Notes:
*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1296 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 8th - 9th December 2021. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).
**The survey was sent by Veganuary to 65% of the 582,000 people who signed-up during the 2021 campaign. 8,690 people responded.
*** *NYC (JFK) to Washington, DC (DCA) = 112 kg CO₂ eg per person one way.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f9a01e3c-4f0f-45b8-b6ea-4441e111b5a1
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3db4052c-8f1c-4a6f-a251-1b54a487b76b
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5d36d93b-ac77-4a84-883a-544c0d8268ad
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f20d731e-af1d-4283-b7ce-46b680696158
A video accompanying this announcement is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/db802aa9-2998-46a1-afdd-f680a588fe8e
