Currently, there are 23 Plant-Based Universities (PBUs), including the University of Bristol, the University of Birmingham, and University College London. PBUs are universities that either exclusively serve (or are transitioning to exclusively serve) food that is not derived from animals. PBUs aim to “tackle the climate and nature crisis” by having universities transition to plant-based catering. The PBU movement targets universities because “They have significant cultural capital, and their actions have a great influence over the broader ethical views and sustainable practices in society. They educate the leaders of our future and are the very institutions where much of our research and understanding of the climate crisis emerges”. Adding, “Currently, universities act to legitimise the industries of animal agriculture and fishing, and this needs to change”.
In 2023, the PBU movement exploded after an open letter signed by over 850 academics and public figures (76 of whom were from Trinity) took the organisation to “new heights”, and campaigns began across Europe in countries including Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, and Ireland. Unfortunately, the only country on that list that does not currently have a university working towards becoming plant-based is Ireland.
This is not for lack of trying; in 2023, students from Trinity, the University of Galway, and University College Cork led a major demonstration across the country, dropping banners reading “Plant-Based Universities: End the Climate Crisis”, and handed out leaflets to bring attention to “the unsustainability of current university catering”.
Two years later, after basically nothing was done, Trinity does an okay job of providing plant-based options. At least in the Buttery, there are vegan sausage rolls, vegan soups, and oat milk available for coffee (at no additional cost). While the same variety of options does not exist at other dining locations on campus (like the Perch), being a plant-based eater at Trinity is relatively easy. However, providing adequate choices seems more like a dietary accommodation than a sustainability commitment, which rings hollow when meat and dairy products remain as the main option for students.
Animal agriculture is one of the most resource-intensive systems in the world. Producing one kilogram of beef requires 15,000 litres of water (8 times that of tofu), and a litre of cow’s milk requires 800 litres of water (16 times that of oat milk).
Trinity says it “aim[s] to be a leader for our sector, city and country” in sustainability. Animal agriculture generates 15 per cent of all global greenhouse gas emissions, which is about the same as all transportation combined. Beef generates more than five times the emissions of plant-based protein sources, and dairy milk produces four times the emissions of oat milk. In Ireland, animal agriculture is the number one source of emissions at 38 per cent. For Trinity to be a real leader in sustainability and meet its net-zero carbon targets by 2040, it ought to deal with the facts.
Importantly and obviously, the Global South bears the brunt of climate catastrophe, with 2 million deaths from disasters and hundreds of thousands more from heat and pollution.
One-third of global grain production is for animal feed, which constitutes a major feed conversion inefficiency. For every 100 calories fed to cows, consumers gain 2 calories of meat; for pigs, it’s 100 to 8.6; and for chickens, it’s 100 to 13. 77 per cent of agricultural land is used for livestock grazing or animal feed, but animal products provide less than 20 per cent of the world’s calories. 82 per cent of the world’s underfed children live in countries where food is fed to livestock and sold to the West.
Researchers have also noted that the routine feeding of antibiotics to animals has led to the development of strains of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics used in fighting infection in humans. In How to Survive a Pandemic, Dr Michael Greger said that if you wanted to cause a new pandemic, you would take thousands of animals, crowd them together, stress them to the point that their immune systems are weakened, and have them handled by people (factory farming). Not to mention, red and processed meats lead to a higher risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
The labour that sustains animal agriculture is also among the most exploitative in the global economy. Slaughterhouse workers are four times more likely to experience depression, anxiety, psychosis, anger, hostility, and somatisation. An average of 27 workers per day suffer from amputation or hospitalisation in meat and poultry plants, with over 80 per cent of all workers facing “significant risk” for injury. Workers in animal agriculture are also 6 times more likely to experience a fatal injury compared to the private sector average, with 10 per cent of workers overall experiencing injury.
Farmers themselves are generally excluded from standard labour laws, frequently denied overtime pay, collective bargaining rights, and occupational safety protections. Farmers often are forced into “contract farms” that constitute debt-traps. Large corporations like ABP, Dawn, and Kepak Meats act as monopolies, controlling price and volume, owning animals and dictating feed, genetics, medications and schedules. Farmers under contract become locked into specialised production, usually for twenty years, where 70 per cent of them carry debt exceeding the resale value of their farms, and over half would face bankruptcy if their contracts were terminated (which corporations may do at will). The average contract farmer makes between €8,000 and €20,000 per year, earning less than minimum wage (and not taking debt into account). ABP and Dawn control roughly 70 per cent of cattle processing in Ireland.
Admittedly, it is not as easy as “just going plant-based”. The decision is a major diet adjustment and requires more planning than an omnivore or even a vegetarian diet. Furthermore, any campaign involving what people eat can provoke legitimate and harmful feelings and behaviours for those who have histories with eating disorders or health issues.
Elsewhere, some cultures or religions may require the use of animals for various reasons. What is being advocated here is not that everyone go 100 per cent plant-based tomorrow, but rather that our consumption is more carefully considered. Two 90 per cent plant-based eaters are better than one 100 per cent plant-based eater, and the decision is ultimately a personal one.
However, Trinity is a university with a choice. The choice to go plant-based is possible (as seen across the continent) and should be strongly considered if Trinity is to truly act as a sustainability leader. Making a plant-based diet accessible to students is the first step and sets a good example for the world.
The overuse of flights and other initiatives to lower consumption and emissions are honourable and should be followed through. However, if a genuine commitment to net-zero emissions and sustainability leadership is to be made, it must involve transitioning Trinity to a plant-based university.
