Is Oat Milk the new standard in some UCL cafes, and is this the way forward?

Photo Coutesy of : Samia Chowdhury

Cafés are an integral part of UCL with practically one at every corner of campus. The Student Union café’s: Gordon’s Café, Print Room Café, Bloomsbury Café, and George Farha Café have all made oat milk their default. But was this change just to accommodate vegans or is it a part of a bigger movement to make UCL a more sustainable and inclusive community moving forward?

 The need to have more vegan and dietary friendly options is of utmost importance to students. With over 40,000 students at UCL coming from all over the globe – the need for diverse food options is imperative.  Oat milk avoids the most common allergens: dairy, nuts, soy, and wheat ,whilst also being vegan. Making oat milk the most inclusive choice for everyone to enjoy their coffee. 

But does this mean that Oat milk needs to become the standard? Why can we not just settle at having the option of Oat milk?

 The answer is simple: we become more sustainable. Avoiding dairy is one of the simplest ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Oat milk uses 3.5 times fewer kilograms of Carbon Dioxide than cow’s milk and also saves 13 litres of water. Even if you drink dairy at home, by having your drinks on campus with Oat milk you are already becoming greener. Part of the Student Union’s mission is ‘to choose the planet over profit.’ Making Oat milk the default is therefore an active move towards fulfilling their promise. In regards to the wider work of the university, the Student Union is already thinking ahead about UCL’s aim to become a zero-carbon university by 2030.

 So, is Oat milk truly the way forward? Oat milk becoming the default may seem insignificant to creating a more inclusive and sustainable community at UCL, but it really is a driving force towards change. By making it easier for you to reduce your carbon footprint without actually having to do anything and making spaces on campus more allergen and dietary requirement friendly. Finally, as an added bonus, Oat milk has a creamy and neutral taste making it perfect for your 4pm pick me ups.