Are oats here to stay?
USD changemaker hub releases a petition that will permanently make oat milk the default milk choice on campus
Kylie Durham / Assistant News Editor / The USD Vista
For the entire month of April, the USD Changemaker Hub advocated and implemented a plan to change the default dairy milk to oat milk in Aromas Cafe. This decision was made in support of Earth month and was intended to provide students and faculty the affordable option of oat milk as a substitute for the typical default of dairy. The goal of the project, titled the Oat Milk Default Pilot, was to promote sustainable oat milk in comparison to other variations of milk, whether that be dairy or plant-based alternatives. The project lasted the entirety of the month, and Aromas Cafe has since returned to dairy milk as the default choice with oat milk reverting back to its original price of an additional $0.75.
However, this return may not be around too long. The Changemaker Hub has released a schoolwide petition that promotes the permanent installment of oat milk as the default milk choice, at no additional cost. Their proposition can be found on the petition, or as seen down below:
“We are proposing the oat milk default to be a permanent change at Aromas cafe. This would switch the default milk from dairy milk to oat milk at no additional cost for either option. Offering oat milk is the most sustainable, inclusive, and ethical choice compared to dairy products and other plant-based alternatives.”
As listed in a link on the petition, the Changemaker Hub points out five main arguments as to why oat milk can be considered a more reliable and sustainable option than dairy milk. These arguments range from oat milk being the most sustainable and eco-friendly milk to oat milk being a more inclusive option of often marginalized communities.
The petition has generated a buzz of excitement for many faculty and students on campus. For Dr. Jonathan Bowman of the Communication department, he shared his love for coffee and thoughts behind the matter.
“I’m a huge coffee drinker, and making an iced americano is the first thing I do each day after letting my dog Nala out,” Bowman said. “The [potential] switch to oatmilk is fantastic. Not only does it save money for the university but also for the students as well.”
Regardless of drinking his coffee black, Bowman remarked on the harmlessness of switching the default milk choice to oat milk.
“I will probably still drink my cow milk the one or two times a year that I don’t drink my coffee black, but that’s such an easy ask for me to just simply say ‘cow milk.’ And, since most people don’t care either way, we might as well have our default milk option fit in well with the mission of the university.”
In addition to Bowman, many students are also in agreement with the permanent switch of oat milk being the default milk choice. USD junior Victoria Hernandez shared her support on the concept.
“I fully support it. I haven’t signed the petition yet because I haven’t had the chance to, but I fully support it. I think that it was really beneficial during the month of April to have that option. I also think that oat milk is already something that people will order anyways, so why not have that as the default milk,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez shared how oat milk is her favorite milk option, and finds the permanent switch to be highly favorable. For USD senior Sydney Avery, she also drinks oat milk in all of her coffees, and is in support of the switch.
“I personally drink oat milk, so it is easier for me. I drink oat milk, because I like the taste of it,” Avery stated. “I used to be all almond and then made the switch, and now I won’t go anywhere and get whole milk. I just can’t. I always get my iced coffee with oat milk.”
While the majority of student feedback is in accordance with Hernandez and Avery, some students have also raised brief concerns about what this switch might mean. For USD junior Erin Williams, she is torn between her milk preferences and the nutritious benefits of oat milk.
“Overall, I select oat milk as my preferred milk, because I like the creamy consistency and taste. But, I do not like paying a dollar extra for it, so the thought of it being a cheaper default is very nice,” Williams noted. “However, there have been some recent articles coming out about the oils that are in these plant-based milks that make me a little nervous. Even if it is a cheaper and more sustainable option, if it is not the healthiest, then I don’t know if we should be encouraging it.”
This oil found in plant-based milks is used to maintain a certain consistency and bind ingredients together. However, according to an interview with Nicole Osinga, R.D. from The Beet, these oils can be pro-inflammatory towards the body, causing inflammation and discomfort. Additionally, she notes to be careful of how much oil is added to the typical oat milk, and to check for the increase in calories without an addition of nutrients.
On the flip side of this are concerns regarding the nutritional value of dairy milk. While dairy milk provides approximately 18 out of 22 essential nutrients, it also has some negative side effects, including people with allergies to lactose and potential increase in the risk of certain cancers according to Healthline. USD sophomore Soleil Errico explained why oat milk is the better default option to her.
“I think that the switch is good. I’ve always stayed away from [dairy milk], because it’s hard for me to digest anyways. I also have allergies, and so do many other people,” Errico said.
The Changemaker Hub’s petition for the permanent switch to default oat milk can be found at this link: https://bit.ly/oatsome-petition. Additional QR codes for the petition can also be found on flyers scattered throughout Aromas cafe and the USD campus.
As the school year comes to an end, there is still a noticeable push from the USD Changemaker Hub to create sustainable options that benefit both the campus and the city we live in. Now that the oat milk pilot has officially come to an end, the future of the oats lies within the hands of the USD community.