CitySA AGM 2024

Should the Students' Association campaign for a college community garden?

THE ISSUE

Many of our students at COGC have reported high levels of mental health challenges and loneliness and have found a lack of community at the college.; this has been a continuous effect from the global pandemic. We have seen many of our priority groups struggle to integrate with college culture due to many social and financial barriers. 

The Thriving Learners Report Scotland 2021 notes that 74% of participants reported low well-being, and almost half (45%) said that they had experienced a serious psychological issue they felt needed professional help. 

Almost one million tons of food and drink are thrown away every year in Scotland, with food waste in the household representing around 20% of all food purchased in Scotland by weight according to the Scottish Government circular economy consultation, and it is reported that an estimated 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food that is not consumed from the UNEP Food Waste Index Report (2021.)

THE IDEA

From the stats above, it is evident that there is a need for a sustainable, environmentally conscious project. This is why I am putting forward my AGM Idea for a fully sustainable Community Garden. Included as part of this idea, we would want Riverside access to the garden to be as accessible as possible. 

I would also like to see the establishment of the composter machine to help support the sustainability of the Community Garden project and help to combat the ever-growing Environmental problem of food waste. By rerunning the composter, the college would be able to recycle food waste from catering outlets as well as catering classes.

THE IMPACT

Gardens encourage residents to become more socially and physically active and to develop stronger ties to their area, in this case, students' members of the Students' Association. Community run spaces can combat issues of isolation as well as help upskill by providing volunteering opportunities. It would be a space for cross course collaboration and give students opportunities to meet their peers from across the college, the interactions we experience can influence our health in a range of ways. 

"Community and therapeutic gardening projects offer a social context to the activity for social interaction, which can counteract feelings of loneliness and social isolation, especially for those with pre-existing learning difficulties and mental health." The British Psychological Society  

This project would be able to be an extension of the Student Pantry, with fresh produce being able to support students facing food poverty and teach our members how to sustainably grow their own produce. It would also tackle the growing issue of food waste within the college. 

As this project will need maintenance over summer, to tackle this issue we know that there are still international students that are staying residence, this would be a great opportunity for continual engagement with the SA over summer months.

EXTRA INFO

Three other student submissions to the AGM process included reference to the cost-of-living crisis and food security. Although these submissions did not meet the criteria of an AGM motion, the Students' Association would like to recognise that the concern of food poverty is something that is felt amongst our student population.