News

Sustainability update, Hilary 2025

Library Sustainability Collection

Welcome to the latest sustainability update, bringing you termly updates on all things environmental that are happening in and around the college!

Operations Manager Elaine Huckson writes

Green Action Week is taking place from Monday 10 February to Friday 14 February!

Together with the GCR we have a number of exciting events planned throughout the week culminating in our inaugural Low Carbon Formal. The week aims to enhance networking and exchange of ideas, engage students and staff with research, promote environmental action, raise awareness, encourage wellbeing and celebrate with colleagues.
Below are details of all the events at GTC over the week. You can also view the full university programme.

  • All Week: We will not serve red meat across our lunch menus in college, instead we will be championing a range of local suppliers and their amazing local vegetables as well as some amazing Fairtrade products in the servery and college bar.
  • Tuesday: Student Supper X Green Action Week: We will be creating a 2-course Indian-themed menu. Students will be able to select vegetarian or plant-based option for supper. Followed by a delicious Fairtrade banoffee pie!
    • Open to GTC Students and their guests- Book here (SSO Required).
    • GCR sustainability rep will be on hand to launch their new environmental guide and to chat all things Green Action Week
  • Wednesday: GTC lecture Sustainability Education: Fairness and Flourishing.
    • Wednesday 12 February, Thursday 27 February and Thursday 13 March, all from 17:30 to 18:45, Green Templeton Lecture Theatre
    • In light of growing concerns about climate and ecology anxiety, political polarisation and rapid technological advancements associated with artificial intelligence, critical questions about the ‘how’, ‘what’ and ‘why’ of sustainability education become increasingly significant. – Mark Hirons and James Robson, series conveners. More information and register
  • Thursday: Low-Carbon Formal Dinner Our chefs have devised a wonderful menu to showcase how delicious low-carbon dining can be! Members will be able to select from two menu options, both with carbon emission data provided so you can make informed choices on your carbon impact on the night. Bookings now open!
  • Sustainability Night in the Stables Bar, Thursday 13 February. Special offers on our Fairtrade wines and soft drinks and a locally sourced cocktail available.
  • GCR repair café, Saturday 15 February from 11:00 to 13:00 in the Common Room. Bring items for repair or to learn new skills from your talented peers on ow to get the most out of your belongings.
  • GCR Sustaina-brunch, Sunday 16 February. Enjoy a plant-based breakfast with your Sustainability reps

Spotlight on Green Templeton Catering

Farm To Fork Velocity Delivery

Our very own catering team are continually working hard behind the scenes on sustainable initiatives. This is a super busy department serving over 8000 dinners a year and 20,000 lunches as well as providing for all sorts of other food and beverage needs for our community and external customers.

Did you know:

  • We only use Fairtrade chocolate in our desserts
  • We provide vegetarian starters for most formal dinners
  • 50% of the GTC lunch offer (hot and cold) is either vegetarian or vegan
  • By not advertising menus in advance, we are able to use the freshest, most seasonal ingredients possible, for example, the forced Yorkshire rhubarb season has just started and was used for the dessert on our first formal of the year. This is one of our Head Chef’s favourite ingredients
  • Red meat is only on the lunch menu up to 2 times a week
  • Meat-free Mondays have been running since 2018 following a student initiative
  • Trimmings and scraps of vegetables are kept to make homemade stocks, sauces and soups
  • Food is cooked fresh through our lunch service in batches to avoid overproducing and wastage
  • Any viable food that is left at the end of service is blast chilled and then repurposed into a new hot dish or used in the salad bar
  • Our chefs go foraging when they can find the time, but we also buy in ingredients foraged by professionals
  • A range of wine and canned soft drinks in the bar are Fairtrade

What about the supplier and products we use?

The team seeks good local suppliers and are meticulous about the products they bring on board, looking for seasonal, local, regeneratively farmed ingredients. These are a few highlights but you can find much more information on the website.

  • Ox Farm to fork enables us to buy directly from local food producers. The produce is collected by an electric van and delivered by bike, providing low food miles, good pricing for farmers and exceptional produce
  • Forge Farm organic raw honey, is a phenomenal product, the bees are kept on the farm where they feed from the wildflowers and various organic fruits and vegetables that are growing on the farm. The flavour is great and we use this honey for our formal dinners
  • Middle White Pork, sourced from Cotswold meat and game, is reared in Morton on Marsh so close to the college. The supplier is championing this heritage ancient breed of pig (this breed was also featured on Clarkson’s farm)

Tap Social beers: Tap Social Movement is a fully independent social enterprise, craft brewery, bakery, and hospitality organisation that creates training and employment for people in prison and prison leavers. Having a fulfilling job helps build self-confidence and resilience, and equips people for a productive and happy life. They believe that everyone benefits when no one is excluded from work. 95,000+ hours of paid employment has been created for people in prison or recently released from prison to date

Library collection

Library Sustainability Collection

The library has curated a special book collection for Green Action Week, featuring insightful titles on sustainability, climate action, and environmental policy. Explore topics such as green economics, sustainable development, and climate justice with books like Green Growth, Smart Growth, Climate Crisis and the Global Green New Deal, and Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World. Whether you’re interested in environmental governance, cultural shifts, or practical solutions for a greener future, this collection offers valuable perspectives on building a sustainable world. Visit the library to discover more!

Get involved

Look up the vast amount of community links

Created: 12 February 2025