Beef burgers will become a thing of the past when the London university re-opens for its academic year in September.
Goldsmiths University has banned all beef products from its campus as part of drive to tackle the climate emergency and become carbon neutral by 2025.
The environmental campaign will also see students face a 10p levy on bottles of water and single-use plastic cups when the academic year starts in a bid to discourage the use of the products.
The college’s new warden, Professor Frances Corner, said staff and students ‘care passionately about the future of our environment’ and that ‘declaring a climate emergency cannot be empty words’.
The move has been backed by Goldsmiths Students’ Union, with president Joe Leam saying that the university has a ‘huge carbon footprint’ and that the promise to eradicate this in the next few years is needed.
Professor Corner said: ‘The growing global call for organisations to take seriously their responsibilities for halting climate change is impossible to ignore.
‘Though I have only just arrived at Goldsmiths, it is immediately obvious that our staff and students care passionately about the future of our environment and that they are determined to help deliver the step change we need to cut our carbon footprint drastically and as quickly as possible.
‘Declaring a climate emergency cannot be empty words. I truly believe we face a defining moment in global history and Goldsmiths now stands shoulder to shoulder with other organisations willing to call the alarm and take urgent action to cut carbon use.’
As well as the beef ban and 10p levy on single-use water bottles and plastic cups, there are plans to install more solar panels across the college’s New Cross campus in south-east London and switch to a 100 per cent clean energy supplier as soon as possible.
The university will also review how all students can access modules which cover climate change and the role of both individuals and organisations in reducing carbon emissions.
Original source: Goldsmiths University in London will ban the sale of ALL beef products | Daily Mail Online