Lund University Student Union Votes for 100% Plant-Based Catering
Photo: Lund University’s Library by Fiaskemist.
On March 9th, the Science Student Union (LUNA) voted to endorse and encourage university-wide, 100% plant-based and affordable catering at Lund University, Sweden. The motion was submitted by Plant-Based Campus and was passed with support from 80% of of LUNA’s Student Councils.
Sociology student and Plant-Based Campus Coordinator at Lund University, Valter Olsson, says:
“It’s amazing seeing the union recognising the incredible positive aspects of a 100% plant-based catering, and I hope to see other unions follow LUNA’s support, and for the university to take further action to make food on campus more sustainable.”
Lund University’s Sustainable Food Purchases and Events Guidelines already call for internal catering to be vegetarian by default, and “shows the direction in which it is hoped restaurants and cafés will work towards”. Plant-Based Campus is now calling on the university administration to strengthen these guidelines by implementing a 100% plant-based policy.
Whilst the restaurants and cafés on campus are privately owned and operated, Plant-Based Campus is campaigning for Lund University to take a leading environmental role by setting new procurement criteria to encourage bids to operate 100% plant-based catering facilities once the current agreements expire.
Universities are at the forefront of environmental research, and an article from Lund University shows that a “plant-based diet can be 2 to 4.7 times more effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions than decreased meat intake.”
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Plant-Based Campus is a democratic student-led campaign working with universities and higher education institutions to transition to 100% plant-based catering to reduce emissions. Plant-Based Campus is currently active at 15 universities across the Nordics.
Wynes, S., & Nicholas, K. A. (2017). The climate mitigation gap: education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions. Environmental Research Letters, 12(7), 74024. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa7541