All Student Vote (Spring 2022)

Remove most meat, fish, dairy, eggs and other animal-based products from SU outlets

This motion seeks to start all SU outlets on a transition towards selling a greater amount of plant-based products to reduce their environmental impact.

Remove most meat, fish, dairy, eggs and other animal based products from SU outlets.

This Union Notes:

This section should include any facts, figures or statements that you believe are relevant to the topic of your policy. Remember in this section clear and effective referencing is important.

1. The Student’s Union at Warwick already has an ‘ethical eats ethos’ where they say: “Food is vital. How we produce it and consume it has a great impact on the world around us – on other humans, on animals, on the environment.” However, currently the food containing animal products at the university contributes greatly to the climate crisis.
2. We only have 7 years to avoid a rise in 1.5C which would be catastrophic for humans and can °cause massive environmental destruction.
3. “Avoiding animal products is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet.” Joseph Poore, University of Oxford, UK, who led the most comprehensive research on the environmental impact of agriculture
4. Animal agriculture is responsible for 17 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
5. According to the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet, “meat, aquaculture, eggs, and dairy use ~83% of the world’s farmland, contributing 58% of global agriculture emissions, despite providing only 18% of our calories.
6. Study finds that “the impacts of the lowest-impact animal products exceed average impacts of substitute vegetable proteins across green house gas emissions, eutrophication, acidification (excluding nuts), and frequently land use
7. It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. These diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes.”
8. Plant-based food is accessible to all students as it is always halal, lactose free and vegetarian meaning all students will have an abundance of options when eating on campus.

This Union Believes:

This section should include opinions or supporting statements for your policy.

1. Plant-based meals are often healthier than those made from animal products.
2. A plant-based food system at the University of Warwick would reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and water usage by a considerable amount.
3. Current and prospective students will see the University as a progressive leader in the fight against climate change.
4. Through better accessibility to plant based food, it will become much easier for everyone to make climate conscious choices.
5. The students who currently enjoy eating plant-based meals will have more options when eating at the university.

This Union Resolves:

This section should be about how you want the SU to react, the outcome of this policy. Remember to mandate specific departments/sabbatical officers; this will make things easier for future accountability

1. Mandate the Democracy & Development Officer to start and oversee the transition of all student union outlets to a majority plant based food system subject to consultation with the Liberation & Diversity Committee.
2. Mandate the Democracy & Development Officer to start and maintain conversation with the university to transition all university licenced or owned outlets to a majority plant based food system subject to consultation with the Liberation & Diversity Committee
3. Mandate the environmental and ethics officer to research and decide alternatives to the current animal products in the university's food system.
4. Recommends the Student’s Union to come out with a statement outlining the transition to a majority plant based food system subject to consultation with the Liberation & Diversity Committee