Sustainability Week at St Andrews: Plant-Based Menu Sparks Debate

On 28 October, the University of St Andrews hosted its annual Sustainability Week, a sprawling initiative that featured over 40 events centred on environmental stewardship, biodiversity, waste reduction, and the circular economy. Under the guidance of the Environment Team, activities ranged from meeting the University’s conservation cows at Kinkell to panel discussions on the global sustainability challenge, and a bird-watching excursion along East Sand. For cycling enthusiasts, a “Bike-to-Work” breakfast offered vouchers as an eco-friendly incentive, ensuring something for everyone interested in campus sustainability. The week also saw the grand finale of the 2024 St Andrews Prize for the Environment, given to the Kham River Restoration Mission for its impactful work reviving a seasonal river in  Aurangabad, India.

Yet, while the week highlighted critical environmental issues and fostered a spirit of collective responsibility, one initiative drew significant attention and controversy. A plant-based lunch menu was introduced across all catered halls from Monday to Friday. This aimed to replace standard options with vegetarian dishes to reduce the environmental footprint of the University’s food services. The decision, however, sparked a lively debate, especially among residents at McIntosh Hall. When the hall’s Sustainability representative announced the change in the McIntosh group chat, responses were swift and predominantly negative. Some hall residents saw the initiative as "absolutely ridiculous" and "silly," insisting that action was needed to address the perceived "injustice."

Freya Burrows White, the catering representative for McIntosh Hall, quickly became the go-to person for the frustrated students. Freya stated that much of the backlash was due to poor communication. The measure appeared to be a total shock to the residents. “A lot of people came to me thinking it was a catering issue,” she explained, “rather than part of a broader initiative tied to Sustainability Week.”

Misunderstandings behind the motivation of the plant-based menu seemed to fuel the discontent. Concerns were voiced about protein intake. Dissatisfied students went so far as to share charts from various data sources, arguing that the temporary shift to plant-based meals would have minimal impact on greenhouse gas emissions. By presenting this data, they hoped to enable a reconsideration of the decision. On the other hand, those who reacted positively tended to see the change as minor—affecting only five out of the fifteen meals served each week as White noted.

For many students, the primary grievance was the dietary shift was imposed rather than chosen. Freya observed that the initiative's poor reception in McIntosh left residents feeling more distanced from the cause of sustainability—a reaction she described as “a shame,” as it undermined the very purpose of Sustainability Week.

In addition to the imposed surprise of the initiative, Freya noted that criticism also centred on the quality of vegetarian meals available in the halls. “I think plant-based meals need to be much better, with more protein,” she remarked, adding that steps are underway to improve both the variety and nutritional value of these options. Furthermore, she felt that greater awareness should have been raised before the change, such as informing students that plant-based protein alternatives offer comparable nutrition to meat. Freya suggested that if students had been more aware of the different menus and how they can allow for a balanced diet, they might have viewed the initiative more positively—as a meaningful part of Sustainability Week’s goals and the university’s climate-conscious mission. , rather than as a top-down decision.

Photo from WikiCommons