Environment > 'Seven Steps to Sustainable Living' at Sussex - info, advice and guidance > Step 4 - Eating Sustainably

Environment

The Students' Union is committed to protecting the environment and is involved a variety of projects and activities to raise awareness about environmental issues and support sustainable initiatives.

For the last to years we have been awarded a Gold ‘Green Impact’ NUS award for our efforts to reduce our ecological impact.

We have an elected part-time Environmental & Ethical Officer, supported by the full time Operations Officer. The role of the Ethical & Environmental Officer is to liase between students, societies, the Union and the University on all things ethical and environmental, and to push forward new policies and ideas for sustainability. We also have four Ethical & Environmental Reps

► Step 4 - Eating Sustainably

Sustainable Living

Food grown yourself tastes much better and is much cheaper, not to mention the huge environmental benefits, and there are plenty of local projects to get involved with. To get all your other staples come to our campus’ coop weekly food stall in Falmer quad...

WHY?

Did you know..?

Putting a lid on your cooking can use up to 90% less energy!
For most people cutting down on meat and dairy consumption is the single biggest thing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. Avoiding meat and dairy 3 days per week would cut the average person's 'foodprint' by 1/3.
Food manufacturing is responsible for about three times as much carbon emissions as home cooking.

Watch these documentaries to find out more!

Friends of the Earth also have a great report about the environmental impacts of meat and dairy farming (pdf file)

HOW?

Here are a few easy places to start:

Reduce the amount of meat and dairy in your diet. Going vegan isn't for everyone, but just cutting down a bit will make a real difference!
Buy local, seasonal food
Buy organic, fair-trade and free-range where possible
Grow you own! Join a grow your own scheme, on campus or in the local community for fresh, tasty, healthy and environmentally friendly food!

WHERE?

Grow your own:

Sussex Roots Allotment Society
A student-run allotment on campus. Meet every Sunday at 12pm in the allotments behind the Brighthelm halls - just turn up - www.sussexstudent.com/roots

Community food projects
These community food projects grow a large variety of fruit and veg and are run always welcoming new volunteers (beginners or experts). Volunteers can take produce home.

Fork it and Dig it, Stanmer Park, Brighton (Opposite the Earthship), 07880 870217 (Yvonne), Tuesdays and Sundays 12noon-4pm.
Mouslecoomb Forest Garden and Wildlife Project (next to Mouslecoomb train station) www.seedybusiness.org, Tuesdays and Fridays 10am-3pm, Sundays 1pm-5pm.

Sustainable shopping:

Campus Community Co-op
A student-led food project providing affordable, quality and ethically-sourced wholefoods at near cost-price - www.sussexstudent.com/coop

The Open Market
Marshalls Row, Brighton, BN1 4JS. For a local, value greengrocers, butchers, fish-mongers, wholefoods store and dairy, visit the Open Market (between London Road and the Level). Opening hours: 7am-1pm Monday, 7am-6pm Tuesday-Saturday.

Infinity Foods
25 North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YA, www.infinityfoods.co.uk - Wholefoods store in North Laine – a worker's cooperative selling a very wide range of organic, ethical and natural foods and products.

Online Resources:

Info on what’s in season now - www.eatseasonably.co.uk

Tips on how to store food better, and use up leftovers - www.lovefoodhatewaste.org

Vegan and vegetarian recipes - www.studentrecipes.com/recipes/vegetarian and www.veganvillage.co.uk/recipes.htm

>> Step 5 - Supporting Sustainable Projects