Help us make higher education institutions in Eindhoven plant-based!

We are facing a climate emergency, and Eindhoven higher education campuses such as TU/e and Fontys have publicly committed to addressing this challenge. The role of food systems within this ecological crisis has often been understated. In light of emerging climate science, we can no longer ignore it. In Europe, food alone is responsible for 30% of total greenhouse gas emissions, with meat and dairy production making up most of that percentage (Petrovic, 2015). Animal farming is also the leading cause of global deforestation and biodiversity loss (Ritchie & Roser, 2021), primarily due to its need for 50 to 100 times more land per gram of protein than plant-based sources (Poore & Nemecek, 2018). Animal agriculture contributes 90% of the world’s water footprint, including the majority of freshwater (Holdinghausen, 2021). It is clear that our reliance on animal agriculture is detrimental to the planet we are trying to protect. Our understanding of the negative climate impact of animal agriculture has been driven by university research. Our academic institutions have a responsibility to take necessary action according to their own research. We are not asking for individual dietary change, but rather institutional divestment from environmentally damaging industries. We want Eindhoven higher education campuses to stop offering animal-based products and commit to a transition towards fully plant-based catering.  TU/e has demonstrated a commitment to sustainability by introducing vegetarian by default catering for meetings and events, marking an initial step towards a more sustainable campus, one that has become progressively normalized, paving the way for 100% plant-based catering. However, canteens still offer few plant-based options, highlighting the urgent need for progress towards sustainable food systems.  Together, these institutions serve nearly 40,000 students and staff, so this change will make a significant difference. Currently, both lag significantly behind Utrecht University, Hogeschool Utrecht, and the University of Amsterdam, institutions that have already made the full transition to plant-based coffee machines while rolling out cheaper, more attractive plant-based meal options across their campuses and enabled new initiatives to stimulate sustainable consumption like De Nieuwe Mensa, which offers a full hot meal for EUR 5, or less. Our goal is a transition to sustainable, 100% plant-based catering at Eindhoven campuses, in line with their own sustainability goals.