Green Aims
RCSA Green Aims
The RCSA is about helping students to improve their experience of Cambridge University. This means ensuring that Robinson College meets the ethical standards that its students demand and desire. Students are currently working for changes in 5 key areas:
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Robinson College was 1st in the CUECS environmental league table. We want to improve our environmental performance further, to reach the top again.
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We believe the College must take greater action to decrease its carbon emissions. We are calling for challenging targets to reduce resource use, and for the setting up of collaborative measures that reward individual student action on the issue.
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We believe the catering available in college heavily influences what we consume. We want to increase the choice of food and drink coming from accredited environmental schemes, such as sustainable, organic and local sources.
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We believe the catering available in college heavily influences what we consume. The people working to produce our food and drink should be treated fairly. This means buying from suppliers that guarantee their workers decent working conditions, a fair wage and sustainable farming practices. We are campaigning for greater numbers of Fairtrade products to be available in all college catering departments.
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We believe our investments must support business working for direct social gain. As educational and charitable organizations both the RCSA and Robinson College should bank ethically.
Progress
Environmental impact
The Green officer is in talks with the College to improve action across the board. The success so far stems from the combined efforts of staff, fellows and students which should lead to further advances in the future.
Carbon Emissions
The RCSA is calling for the College to sign the Cambridge Climate Change Charter as a visible commitment to action and as a readymade blueprint for change. Withnew government grants for renewable energy sources we hope that this will soon become a viable option for college.
Real Food
The college now has a Food ethics policy which can be found on the college website. With student uptake and interest shown by the recent themed nights in the Garden restaurant there is no reason why this should not continue to improve.
Fairtrade
The RCSA has voted to purchase Fairtrade products for its activities wherever they are available and is calling on the College to do the same. The Red Brick Cafe is commited to selling Fair Trade tea, coffee and chocolate and regular Fair Trade food nights in the Garden restaurant have proved popular with students. Earlier this year our efforts were rewarded with official Fairtrade status for the College!
Ethical Investment
The RCSA bank with Cooperative, the ethical bankers; this is currently the most financially and ethically suitable account available. The College does not hold any direct investments, but the Green Officer and Amnesty Chair are currently looking into an ethical investment policy that might be viable for college accounts.
