NYU To Expand Vegan Offerings In Sustainability Drive

New York University (NYU) has announced it will expand its vegan and vegetarian offerings as part of a new sustainability initiative.

The university has joined more than 30 other organizations around the world who serve more than 800 million meals annually in taking the Cool Food Pledge – aiming to reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by 2030.

NYU says it is also ‘on its way’ to reducing emissions 50 percent by 2025 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2040.

‘Climate impacts of food’

Cecil Scheib, NYU’s Chief Sustainability Officer said: “We’re improving our dining offerings to address the climate impacts of food, but it has the added benefit of contributing to a healthier, more diverse, and delicious array of offerings in our dining halls…

“Where ice cream and cheese are offered, vegan options are made available and Beyond Burgers are served at every grill where hamburgers are on the menu.”

‘Normalizes’ vegan options

Scheib added that having vegan alternatives ‘right next to their meat and dairy counterparts elevates and normalizes these options’.

“NYU Eats is proud to be a part of the solution to one of the major challenges of our time. The Cool Food Pledge will allow us to measure our impact and when necessary make adjustments to achieve our goal,” added Senior Director of Campus Services Kathrina O’Mahony.