ePetition details

Plant Based Council

We the undersigned petition the council to commit to becoming Plant Based by: 1. Ensuring food and drink provided at all internal Council meetings and events is 100% plant-based, prioritising seasonal British produce to support our farmers. 2. Prioritising plant-based menu options wherever else the Council has influence, for example in schools, leisure centres and public cafes. 3. Promoting and encouraging plant based eating to residents and removing meat and dairy advertising where the Council has an influence.

We are pleased that City of York Council has committed to be carbon neutral in its own activities by 2030 and to lead by example in the city by taking significant steps to achieve this outcome.

Currently, however, there is no commitment to include promoting a plant based diet to help reach this goal. This is surely an oversight, given that the climate and environmental impact of our food choices is becoming increasingly well known.

The carbon footprint of a plant based diet is significantly lower than one which includes animal products. Research from Oxford University in 2023 shows that a fully plant based diet produces 75% less greenhouse gas emissions, requires 75% less land, uses 54% less water and results in 66% less biodiversity loss than a diet containing 100 grams of meat daily.

By leading the way on promoting plant based eating, City of York Council would encourage York residents and businesses to significantly reduce the climate and environmental impact of food choices. At the same time, this would help to achieve the council's net zero goal by 2030.

Given that the Council has already declared a climate emergency and this issue is urgent we ask the Council to respond positively to this petition, without delay.

This ePetition runs from 18/03/2024 to 23/05/2024.

30 people have signed this ePetition.