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Council's green advice to staff: Go vegetarian
Elizabeth Hopkirk, Evening Standard18.03.08
A London council wants to encourage its staff to help the environment by going vegetarian.
Cutting meat and dairy products from canteen menus will reduce carbon emissions, according to Camden's climate change group.
Councillors will vote on the proposal at the end of May after examining a report setting out a raft of measures designed to reduce the borough's environmental impact.
Camden's "eco champion" Alexis Rowell said the idea of taking meat off the menu was based on United Nations data showing that the livestock industry is responsible for 18 per cent of the world's carbon emissions.
He said: "At some point we have to get to grips with the Western diet, which contains so much meat and dairy and is part of the carbon problem and the obesity problem.
"We are not talking about turning everyone into vegetarians but about eating more vegetables and fewer pieces of meat, especially beef which is the most intensive. We are growing grain and manufacturing fertilisers using a lot of fossil fuel and water, which is a scarce resource, to feed cows to then feed humans.
"It would be better to grow vegetables and feed them straight to humans."
According to the Vegetarian Society, 70 per cent of the world's agricultural land is used for rearing farm animals, either as grazing land or to grow fodder. Far less land is used to grow crops to feed directly to humans.
The animals themselves are said to emit more damaging gases than the world's entire transport system. Camden also wants to cut the amount of food flown in from abroad or driven across the country in lorries.
It is looking at how to support local producers by using existing distribution networks to bring food from the South-East into a central hub.
Meanwhile, residents will be encouraged to turn open spaces - even roofs - into mini-allotments.
Mr Rowell said: "In Camden, we have more green and potentially green spaces on housing estates than we have in parks.
"A third of Camden's roofs could be turned into green roofs without any structural changes. We also have a 10-year waiting list for allotments. This is a huge opportunity.
"We aren't pretending we can grow enough food to feed London but we can grow some and that's better than nothing."
Such schemes would also improve residents' quality of life and the borough's biodiversity, he added.
Reader views (11)
What a load of rubbish. Last I saw, cattle eat the majority of the food by-products coming out of British factories. Such things include bread etc.. If we didn't have cattle this waste would be dumped at landfill and produce huge amounts of methane. Cattle also eat grass in the UK. Grass absorbs CO2 while it grows. Can't stand these pathetic politicians. That's why I don't vote!
- Robhammer, Fulham
Sounds like common sense. No-one's forcing staff to go veggie... they can bring their own food.
Some people are too selfish or stupid to see what's going on, so it's up to the politicians to show the way.
If London doesn't take the lead what hope is there for the provinces?
- Peter, Lichfield, UK
This is an excellent initiative. I eliminated animal products from my diet a few years ago and I lost weight and felt far more healthy as a result. I then stumbled upon the horrifying statistics regarding what it takes in terms of the world's resources to produce a single pound of beef - SIXTEEN POUNDS OF GRAIN and THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF LITRES OF WATER!!!!
This at a time when we are reading of food riots and reports of how we can expect water shortages in certain areas in a decade or so's time. Good job Camden. The likes of Aidan and Gene Genie will be silenced once the public become fully aware of the impact our food choices have on those whose access to food and water become lesser by the day. I just hope other authorities follow before it's too late.
- Jack, Tottenham. London
Well done Camden! This is not nanny-statism but a question of politicians taking a lead and showing how we all can and must reduce our consumption of animal products - not just because of the appalling cruelty and waste of resources involved but to ease some of the pressure on the NHS.
- Tim, Wandsworth, UK
Dear Sir
The all-party Camden Sustainability Task Force, which is made up of councillors concerned about climate change, is not saying that everyone should go vegetarian. We are saying that we need to cut down on meat and dairy consumption. The livestock industry is estimated to be responsible for 18% of the world’s carbon emissions. That’s partly because cows burp methane. But it’s also because huge amounts of fossil fuels are needed to grow grain to feed cattle, to pump water for cattle to drink, to transport meat in refrigerated trucks and ships, and to sell meat in supermarkets in open fridges and freezers.
Our increased intake of meat and dairy is also largely responsible for the obesity epidemic and associated diseases like diabetes. So there are clear environmental and health benefits to eating less meat and dairy.
If you’re a parent, ask yourself this – why are so many children suddenly being diagnosed as clinically obese starting to get diseases like type two diabetes? Why are the world’s climate change scientists predicting that our children’s children will have to fight for their very survival if we don't control greenhouse gas emissions? In part it’s because we’re eating too much meat and dairy. Our bodies and our planet can’t cope. Eating fewer hamburgers and less cheese on toast doesn’t seem like too much of an imposition when you put it like that.
- Cllr Alexis Rowell, Chair, Camden Sustainability Task Force, London, UK
Great move to encourage it and not serve it at council meetings. Why not? We have no right to abuse animals in this way in the first place. There is no justification for it.
- Popgirl, East London
I think this is brilliant news. People are very quick to criticise councillors who don’t practice what they preach, but here we have a genuine commitment to reducing emissions and I sincerely hope other local councils follow suit. If we are to leave a decent planet to the next generation we need to make wise choices now or simply have them forced upon us later. Congratulations to Camden Council.
- V.Sheppard, Birmingham
These are in some ways wise words. It has been known for years that meat production is incredibly wasteful and emission producing. Of course human beings were designed to be omnivores, so personally I would never turn to vegetarianism, but we could all do with a little less meat in our diets. Badly farmed battery chicken for example is far fattier than it ever was 30-40 years ago, and well all eat far more of it (take the rise in the fried chicken joints on every high street as proof). If we all reduced our meat intake to properly produced, organic, albeit more expensive meat, in lower quantities, rather than gorging ourselves on over abundant "junk" meat, there would be fewer obese people around and the environment would be under less strain.
- Mcw, London
Is this someone's idea of a joke?
Ban bottled water and meat?
Going vegetarian should be an individual choice and not imposed upon anyone!
I suppose they will start banning any employees from owning a car soon, that'll be the next super idea to come out of Camden Council.
Or even better, don't employ such morons to invent the most ridiculous of policies!
This is what happens when the majority of voters stay at home on election day!
- Aidan, London, UK
I pity Camden's residents, their council tax payments are funding this idiot. Stick to cleaning streets and emptying the bins, what the staff eat is none of your business.
- The Gene Genie, Croydon
This is absolute common sense. The facts surrounding emissions from farm animals have been known for a long time and speak for themselves. Unfortunately, many people will find them uncomfortable to accept.
- Ruth Darby, Hampton, UK
