January = Trial of Meat-Free Mondays!
Why should you spend one less day a week eating meat?
January. New Year, New Resolutions, so why not introduce some New Changes?
This January, College and the Union will be trialing their joint campaign, ‘Meat Free Mondays’. With student clubs (Enviro Soc, Veg Soc & APES), other interested students and Greening Imperial all wanting to start similar initiatives, they’ve combined forces alongside the Deputy President (Finance & Services), College Catering and College Campus Services to produce an Imperial-wide campaign, stretching over South Kensington, Charing Cross, Hammersmith and Silwood Campuses!
With global meat consumption on the rise, there is more and more research into the impact this will have on our world. The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization states that livestock are responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gases produced. However, during the Climate Summit 2014 it was highlighted that ‘reducing methane emissions would create tangible benefits almost immediately’. One simple fix to this: spend one day fewer a week eating meat. Not only would this reduce methane emissions from animals, but cut down on CO2 and nitrous oxide gas production too.
Reducing our weekly meat consumption has many benefits, including health improvements and financial ease. But taking a step back to look at the wide picture, working together to reduce the world meat consumption also has environmental, social, and animal welfare impacts.
Every Monday venues across campus will be switching their meat (excluding fish) dishes for vegetarian alternatives. Aiming to encourage students to try the new dishes, FiveSixEight, HBar, Pieminister, Fuel, the Senior Common Room (SCR), Queens Tower Rooms (QTR), SAF café, Library Café, College Café, Wolfson Restaurant (Hammersmith), and Reynolds Bar (Charing Cross) are all teaming up to take part, with other food outlets also considering joining in.
But that’s not all that’s happening! Be prepared for a packed month of events, activities and pop up stalls. Catch students and staff at lunch times on stalls explaining the campaign, showing you why it’s worth taking part, and giving tips on how to continue Meat Free Mondays at home. Or, join them in the evenings for joint events with our student clubs and societies (more information will be released soon).
