Students Invited to Shape the Future of Plant Based Universities
Thursday 28-11-2024 - 15:40
Written by Sam Burgess
Sam is an MSc Environmental Management student at Lancaster University
The Plant Based Universities (PBU) student-led campaign at Lancaster is calling for a gradual transition to 100% plant-based catering (at uni events and in uni-run cafes and restaurants) by 2027.
With the support of the SU, the campaign is reaching out to a greater diversity of students to have their input and help shape the future of the campaign. To do so, students are invited to a forum at 5pm on Tuesday 3rd December.
Students at Lancaster are proud of belonging to a progressive and environmentally responsible university, with a large academic body researching and understanding the ecological crises and the contribution of the meat and dairy industry. The campaign’s demands are in line with the international student-led PBU campaign, which recognises the importance of reducing meat and dairy consumption in tackling the current ecological crises. Plant based foods produce less carbon and require less land than meat and dairy alternatives.
Lancaster students declared an ecological and climate emergency in 2019, and enough students signed the petition calling for plant-based catering that this motion was discussed at a Student Union Assembly. 95% of the Union Assembly, a body of student-elected representatives, voted in favour of our campaign. Lancaster SU is one of 12 SU across the country who support the campaign. This vote means the SU are working with us to lobby the transition to 100% plant-based catering by 2027.
The immense support shown to our campaign by students and the SU in the last academic year motivates us to continue the campaign in 2024/25.
We will address the concerns raised at the LUSU Union Assembly around accessibility and inclusivity. Our campaign will be working hard to ensure the transition to plant-based catering will be fair and inclusive. This starts with listening to the student voice. We are inviting all students to a forum on Tuesday 3rd December 5-7pm, in the Library Commons Lecture Theatre LG28, where students can find out more about the campaign, discuss their concerns and help make the transition fair and inclusive, while enjoying free plant based food!
