Known internationally for creativity and innovation, the Goldsmiths, University of London has been making headlines with a new sustainable – and somewhat controversial – measure: the university has banned the sale of meat at all food outlets on its campus, as a way to combat the climate emergency.
In addition, Goldsmiths has launched a goal to phase out plastic waste and increase the number of energy-efficient panels in its buildings. The move is part of the institution’s new goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2025.
From the start of the school year in September this year, Goldsmiths cafes and markets will no longer sell beef, and plastic water bottles and other disposable products will cost 10p more, as a way of discouraging their consumption.
According to Frances Corner, the university's new president and the person responsible for the recent measures, there are plans to hire new clean energy suppliers and increase curricular options for students focused on the climate crisis.
“Although I’ve only just arrived at Goldsmiths, I immediately noticed that our staff and students care about the future of our environment and are determined to help deliver the change we need to drastically reduce our carbon footprint as quickly as possible,” Corner told The Guardian.
The director follows the most recent and comprehensive scientific analyses that point to the damage that agriculture causes to the planet, having discovered that avoiding meat and dairy products would be the best way to reduce the environmental impact.
And the changes don’t stop there. From December this year, Goldsmiths will no longer invest in companies that generate more than 10% of their revenue from fossil fuel extraction.
The news reached Greenpeace UK, which welcomed the initiative. “It’s encouraging to see an institution like Goldsmiths not just declaring a climate emergency, but taking action to change it,” the organization’s representative Rosie Rogers told The Guardian.
“We urge other universities to do the same, as a matter of urgency, and cut all ties with companies that finance fossil fuels as a way of responding to the climate emergency,” it continues.
Located in London, Goldsmiths follows a growing number of British universities that have taken steps to reduce carbon emissions. It is worth remembering that the United Kingdom is also a leader in initiatives to combat climate change.
