Plant-Based Councils campaigners outside Bridgwater Arts Centre where a full Council meeting of Bridgwater Council was held.
On 17/10/24, local resident Sossa Starshine delivered a deputation at the meeting of full council in Bridgwater to ask the council to switch to 100% plant-based catering.
She was in attendance at the meeting with several other residents who are part of a local Plant-Based Councils campaign [1].
The switch to plant-based catering has already been made by several other progressive UK councils, including Oxfordshire County, Calderdale, Exeter, and Nottingham [2].
On 17/10/24 at a Full Council meeting of Bridgwater Town Council, Sossa Starshine, supporter of the Plant-Based Councils campaign, asked the council to ensure that all food and drink provided at internal meetings is 100% plant-based to mitigate their climate impact and send out a powerful message that 100% plant-based is what we need to be heading towards as a society.
This comes in the same week as The Guardian reported that the temperature of the earth's surface and oceans hit an all-time high [3].
Ten progressive UK councils have already voted to transition to 100% plant-based internal catering, such as Cambridge, Oxfordshire, Exeter and, most recently, Nottingham. Neighbouring Taunton Town Council also recently pledged to go 50% plant-based [4].
On Thursday 17/10/24, Starshine delivered a three-minute presentation to Full Council. She stated:
“By committing to swapping council catering to totally plant-based, you would be leading by example in a time when nearly every town and county has declared a climate emergency. All of the current science shows that the use of livestock in agriculture is the leading driver of the climate and biodiversity crises, which is impacting local residents and farmers alike. On the flip side, plant-based food has been proven time and time again to be the most climate-friendly way to eat.
By taking this stance officially and making these changes, you encourage other councils to take similar steps, and ultimately help to normalise plant-based eating, blazing a trail for real progress when we critically need to be making moves to realise our climate goals.” [5]
Councillors enjoyed samples of home-made vegan chocolate brownies brought by Starshine while she spoke, and Bridgwater Council Chair, Jacqui Solomon, agreed that this was a very important item, and that the council takes the climate situation seriously. She said it will be discussed in council.
Starshine is part of a local Somerset group for the national Plant-Based Councils campaign. The group has been in contact with multiple councils all throughout Somerset and have collected over 250 signatures from local residents who would also like to see their councils commit to plant-based catering. You can sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/tell-somerset-council-to-join-the-other-plant-based-councils-leading-the-way-on-climate. They also delivered a deputation to Shepton Mallet Town Council last month.
Plant-Based Councils campaigners outside Shepton Mallet Town Council before delivering a deputation on 24/09/24.
Plant-Based Councils, an Animal Rising campaign, is a national initiative of local residents who are pushing for their councils to adopt 100% plant-based catering. The group claims that local authorities have a responsibility to follow the current scientific consensus, which acknowledges the environmental, health and cost benefits of plant-based meals over those containing meat and dairy. The campaign is active in over 35 councils, with the group encouraging interested residents to sign up to run a local campaign.
ENDS.
For more information or further comments, please contact press@plantbasedcouncils.org
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
Councils Go Vegan in the UK and Worldwide: https://www.peta.org.uk/blog/vegan-councils/?utm_source=PETA%20UK::Google&utm_medium=Ad&utm_campaign=1021::veg::PETA%20UK::Google::sea-grant-dsa::::searchad&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwjsi4BhB5EiwAFAL0YGBS-AkdPkoQ9E12vKI1xpVLr3gd_sVKgzeXlpw0N93wnRvf1_UevxoCVIkQAvD_BwE,
Earth’s ‘vital signs’ show humanity’s future in balance, says climate experts: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/08/earths-vital-signs-show-humanitys-future-in-balance-say-climate-experts?CMP=share_btn_url
Taunton Town Council Climate and Ecological Emergency Plan (pg 47): https://www.taunton-tc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/98/2024/09/2024-09-10-Full-Council-Meeting-Meeting-Book-4-compressed.pdf
Full deputation recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H04hK-jEbyA
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