London’s Goldsmiths University is banning all beef products on campus to combat climate change.
The university announced the new policy on Monday as one of many green policies and initiatives that will be enacted at the start of the 2019 fall semester. The school aims to be carbon-neutral by 2025.
“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,” said professor Frances Corner, the university’s warden.
“Declaring a climate emergency cannot be empty words,” Corner said. “I truly believe we face a defining moment in global history and Goldsmiths now stands shoulder to shoulder with other organizations willing to call the alarm and take urgent action to cut carbon use.”
In addition to the beef ban, the university will also place a roughly 12-cent surcharge on all plastic water bottles and single-use plastic cups sold at campus stores.
Goldsmiths will invest more in solar panels and find a 100% clean energy supplier for the rest of its energy needs. The school will increase investment in finding other areas it can cut down on carbon while expanding its course offerings so every student will have the option of taking a class on climate change and the environment.
