By Angela Green:
As part of a coordinated national movement of protests at universities including Bristol, Kent, Falmouth, and Southampton, student campaigners last week called for meat and dairy to be totally removed from all university menus to help combat the climate crisis.
Outside the entrance to Bristol University’s Victoria Rooms protestors hung a sign that made their point clearly reading: “Plant-based university end the climate crisis.”
The news appeared in THE BRISTOL TAB, part of a network of media outlets that form THE TAB.
The news story reported the action as part of the Plant-Based Universities campaign, believed to be led by Animal Rising, a nation-wide group which began in late 2021 that calls for student unions to recognise the severity of the climate emergency.
A similar protest took place earlier last month at the Full Council meeting outside Bristol City Council on the 12th September.
A series of comments in the article attributed to campaigners and academics from the University of Bristol, underline not just the feelings behind the campaign, but scientific evidence.
The article also quotes an unnamed spokesperson for the University of Bristol as saying: “Our food on campus is procured from ethical and sustainable sources, and we aim to cater for a range of dietary requirements.
“We have a wide variety of plant-based options available across campus. We run a plant-forward menu where 80 per cent of our menu in our catered residences is plant-based, and 75 per cent of our menu in Senate House is also plant-based. This has reduced our carbon emissions in this area considerably.
“We have also streamlined our offerings and pricings to increase non-dairy milk sales by 10 per cent, ensuring they are accessible to all.”
In a week where the PM reigned back on the climate commitments of his predecessors and many others within his party, how refreshing to find a group of young activists prepared to protest and report their disdain.
As highlighted above, the news appeared in THE BRISTOL TAB, part of a network of media outlets that form THE TAB.
THE TAB Network describe themselves as: “A site covering youth culture and student culture, run by journalists who like being first.” They expand describing their team as follows: “Our guerilla army of bold and subversive student reporters across the country.”
Both are well worth a look.
Call on government to recognise socio-economic value of everyone’s local