Tag: Chris Packham

Support for Stirling students’ Plant-Based Universities initiative

  • On 10/11/22, at a students union general meeting, the Plant-Based Universities campaign put forward a motion for their facilities to transition to 100% plant-based catering by 2025, with 50% of the options being so by the 2023-24 academic year.
  • A majority of the, around 100, attendees voted in favour of the motion that will affect the 3 outlets operated by the union.
  • The vote is a landmark victory for the Plant-Based Universities campaign, which was announced in November  2021.
  • George Monbiot has spoken out about the vote, in a comment given to Plant-Based Universities.

Students at The University of Stirling have voted to embrace a completely plant-based menu to address the climate and ecological emergencies. The decision represents the first of its kind in the UK, following similar commitments by universities in Germany.

George Monbiot, the climate and animal justice writer and author of ‘Regenesis’, said: “It’s fantastic to see the next generation taking control of their future and putting humans, nonhuman animals and the planet first. The Plant-Based Universities campaigners at The University of Stirling are leading the way in tackling the climate crisis and creating a sustainable food system”

In 2018, comprehensive research from the University of Oxford showed that 76% of the land currently used for food production would be freed-up by a global transition to plant-based production.

This land could be rewilded and begin carbon drawdown, mitigating the worst impacts of climate breakdown. A 2019 Harvard University report on UK farmland and food production from Helen Harwatt and Matthew N. Hayek also concluded that the UK would be carbon-negative if it completely transitioned to a plant-based food system.

Imogen Robertson, 21, one of the campaigners at Stirling said: ““This vote is a clear sign that young people are willing to take decisive action on the climate and ecological emergencies.

“We will be working with catering staff to ensure this vote is implemented in a way that provides cheap, delicious, planet-saving options throughout our Student’s Union.

“We are delighted that our fellow students have decided to follow the scientific advice from world-leading academics and step into a brighter future. We hope this sparks a wave of bold action across UK universities to commit to just and sustainable plant-based catering”

The Plant-Based Universities campaign is a nationwide initiative of students who are pushing for their universities and student unions to adopt 100% plant-based catering.

The group claims that universities have an obligation to follow the scientific research that they produce, detailing the environmental impacts of animal farming and fishing. The campaign is active in over 40 institutions, with the group encouraging interested students to sign up to run local campaigns.

The Plant-Based Universities campaign is supported by the well-known animal and climate justice group Animal Rebellion.

Also supporting the initiative, wildlife TV presenter Chris Packham said on Twitter: “Young people doing it for themselves – this is good from @RebelsAnimal and @plantbasedunis

@StirUni – posted on Instagram

@veganuary

@vivacampaigns

Has the ‘COVID effect’ worn off for nature lovers?

 Big Butterfly Count sees a drop in participants compared to 2020 and 2021, as conservationists urge the public not to forget the benefits of being connected to nature – and it’s not too late to take part!

Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation are urging people not to become disconnected from nature, after the start of their Big Butterfly Count saw a significant drop in people taking part, in comparison with the last two years.

Dr Zoe Randle, Senior Surveys Officer at Butterfly Conservation, said: “In 2020 and 2021 we saw a big increase in the number of people taking part in the Big Butterfly Count. During the COVID restrictions people were spending more time at home, and maybe without the day-to-day busyness and distractions, they noticed nature more and were able to enjoy spending more time outside.

“However, since Big Butterfly Count started on the 15th July, we’ve only had half of the Counts compared with the same time last year. It’s left us wondering whether, now there are no COVID restrictions, are people beginning to forget about nature and the wildlife that needs our help to survive?”

It’s something Butterfly Conservation’s Vice President, the TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham, is also worried about.

Chris said: “During lockdown many people used the opportunity of having a little bit more time to engage with nature, and many of them found some respite and solace there. Now we are asking people to re-connect and give something back to nature by taking part in the Big Butterfly Count.”

A lack of butterflies could also be putting people off taking part this year.

Chris adds: “Last year was our poorest year ever in terms of the amount of butterflies people were seeing. It’s too early to tell if this year will follow suit, but certainly anecdotally we are hearing that people feel there are fewer butterflies around.

“That might have put people off taking part in the Big Butterfly Count, but it’s equally important for people to tell us that because when it comes to submitting data we need to know where there aren’t these insects as well as where there are.

“Butterflies and moths are important indicators of the wider health of our environment. If they are struggling then so is the rest of the natural world. It is so important people continue to take part in the Big Butterfly Count. If we don’t know what is happening then we can’t deliver good quality conservation.”

Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count is a UK-wide survey open to everyone, of any age, living in towns, cities or the countryside. Taking part requires you to spend just 15 minutes in an outdoor space counting the amount and type of butterflies, and some day-flying moths, you see. It is easy to do and the more people who do it, the greater the benefits to our understanding of nature and how to help it. 

There were over 150,000 counts submitted to the Big Butterfly Count last year, more than ever before.

This year’s Big Butterfly Count runs from the 15th July to the 7th August. For more information and to take part simply visit www.bigbutterflycount.org or download the free Big Butterfly Count app.

More than one million chickens die in misery every week for cheap meat

A new report from Open Cages has found that in order to meet demand for the UK’s favourite meat, 61 million chickens died before slaughter last year as a result of major welfare issues.

The authors blame supermarkets like Morrisons for continuing to source meat from genetically engineered “Frankenchickens” whilst M&S, Waitrose, KFC and retailers all over Europe move rapidly towards the Better Chicken Commitment.

Today – animal welfare charity Open Cages has published a scathing report:

The Price of British Chicken: How Supermarkets Are Failing on Animal Welfare

  • Chicken is Britain’s most popular meat, with consumption far outstripping beef, lamb or pork. Nearly 1.2 billion chickens were killed last year to meet demand, with most meat coming from ultra fast-growing Frankenchickens raised in conditions so crowded that in their last weeks an individual bird would have more room in the oven.
     
  • Citing figures from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), the authors claim 61 million chickens died before reaching the slaughterhouse last year as a result of these practices. Around 1.2 million chickens are dying every week.
  • The intensive conditions routinely cause debilitating welfare issues. The authors estimate that last year nearly 5 million chickens may have suffered heart attacks, 15 million may have had their necks broken by farmers due to severe lameness and over 24 million may have died from infection.
  • The authors argue that shoppers are manipulated by supermarkets dishing out “deceptive” labels and marketing campaigns which give the false impression that chickens are well cared for. Another recent report accused supermarkets of bombarding consumers with deals and offers on “unsustainable” meat from intensive farms.
     
  • Supermarkets like Tesco, Morrisons and Co-op are blamed for “refusing” to sign the RSPCA & Defra-backed Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) – a policy of improved welfare standards that prohibits the use of ultra fast-growing Frankenchickens and overcrowded conditions. Currently, the vast majority of supermarket chicken comes from the fastest growing breeds available which suffer the highest rates of premature death.
     
  • 300 companies across the UK and Europe have signed the BCC, including KFC, Nestle and Subway. It is estimated that 27% of the UK’s chickens are covered by the commitment, along with large supermarkets in France, Germany, Denmark, Spain and Poland. M&S and Waitrose are so far the only UK supermarkets to pledge.

Open Cages CEO & Co-Founder Connor Jackson comments: “The scale of suffering behind cheap chicken may be shocking to consumers, but to our major supermarkets it’s business as usual.

“They know full well that 1 in 3 Frankenchickens can barely walk, that millions die of heart attack, and that millions more die of horrendous diseases. And still, not only do even the self proclaimed “high welfare” and “ethical” retailers like Morrisons and Co-op continue to sell Frankenchickens, to package their meat as “welfare assured”, and to tell us Brits that they care deeply about animal welfare … they do all this knowing that alternatives are available.

“Hundreds of companies like M&S, Waitrose and even KFC have signed the Better Chicken Commitment, taking the lead in improving animal welfare. Instead of following, supermarkets like Morrisons ignore and bury the issue behind feel good marketing campaigns and PR spin. But these findings prove once and for all that it is all just a story to keep us coming back to the checkout: animals pay the ultimate price for cheap chicken.”

Chris Packham’s petition calling on UK supermarkets to sign the BCC has gained nearly a quarter of a million signatures. A recent YouGov poll found that a majority of Brits strongly oppose these types of farming practices even when taking cost savings to themselves into account.

The BBC’s Chris Packham comments: “I think consumers would be utterly disgusted to know that a million of these intelligent, sensitive birds are dying every week to get cheap chicken onto their plates.

“The misery these animals face on a daily basis is unnecessary and would outrage even the most ardent meat eaters, because it serves no purpose but to satisfy the profits of our major supermarkets who refuse to help them.

“Fortunately there are many things shoppers can do to help.

“As well as eating less meat to reduce demand, we can dramatically improve their lives in a matter of years simply by showing these large supermarkets that we want them to sign the Better Chicken Commitment.

“There must be a shift towards a middle ground of better, but affordable choices that will help us all take part in improving animal welfare without breaking the bank. It’s not fair for that opportunity to be reserved for only the well off.”

REPORT-_-The-Price-of-British-Chicken_-How-Supermarkets-Are-Failing-on-Animal-Welfare-Open-CagesDownload

Chris Packham supports charity’s launch of badger baiting documentary for teenagers

Naturalist and television presenter, Chris Packham CBE, has voiced his support for a short film from animal welfare charity, Naturewatch Foundation.

The video shows teenagers the brutality and shocking prevalence of badger baiting, a blood sport that continues to thrive all over the UK – despite being banned since 1835.

The Gloucestershire-based charity invites anyone working with teenagers to feature the 16-minute documentary in their schedules at a convenient time, particularly secondary schools, youth work settings, badger groups, wildlife organisations and police officers.

‘Raising Awareness of Badger Crime’ is presented and produced by Alex Collins, a young filmmaker and keen conservationist.

Collins takes the audience deep into the forest to the site of a badger sett. Delving into the lives of badgers, he explores not only their ecology and how vital they are to their ecosystems, but also the extreme cruelty they face, including badger baiting. Teenagers are taught how to recognise signs of wildlife crime and how they can help protect badgers if they suspect persecution is happening.

Packham, a patron of Naturewatch Foundation, said: “The film offers teenagers the chance to appreciate and connect with the natural world, and with a creature they may have previously had little knowledge of.

“As we have learned, particularly during the pandemic, nature has been recognised as a source of inspiration and comfort for so many of us. It is more important than ever that we inspire the younger generations to become guardians and protectors of our natural world and all the beautiful creatures that call it home, particularly the humble and highly victimised badger.”

Collins, a zoologist, said: “The fact that badger baiting remains so un-discussed among the general public is a testament to how far we still have to go if we are to defeat wildlife crime nationwide. I believe that all generations, young and old, have the power to create positive change and I hope that this film acts as the first stepping stone towards inspiring people to do that.”

On request, the charity provides educational resources to support the film and offers a free wildlife crime novel to participating schools. ‘A Badger’s Tale’ was illustrated by 13-16-year-olds following an art competition, which was judged by Chris Packham.

Caroline Ruane, CEO of Naturewatch Foundation, said: “Our badger baiting awareness programme for teenagers was launched in 2018 but, due to social distancing restrictions, was put on hold during the pandemic.

“We have risen to the challenge of making our message as accessible as possible by sharing our new film online. Badger crime can be a generational issue, with children witnessing their parents’ involvement and not registering that their activities are morally wrong – or even illegal.

“To help save British badgers from a horrific end, we invite anyone who works with teenagers over the age of 13 to share our thought-provoking, and conversation-starting, video with their groups via our YouTube channel. Young people can change the future for this iconic animal.”

Watch the film: https://youtu.be/GF0aDcKSMUk

Interested parties who would like to receive the supporting educational pack are asked to contact Naturewatch Foundation at info@naturewatch.org.