In the petition, the Environmental Sciences student Keurhorst asks the university to offer students at least one vegan hot meal and a vegan sandwich or wrap in all canteens on campus.
Keurhorst started the petition when she discovered that the canteens in Forum, Orion and Leeuwenborch only had a limited range of vegan dishes. ‘I’m on a plant-based diet and I often have to eat on campus because I live in Rhenen and I can’t always take my own meals with me. I was disappointed to find that I can basically only eat soup or salad in WUR canteens.’ She has discovered that a lot of other people would also be happy to see more vegan options. Keurhorst: ‘They do have vegetarian meals available but barely any vegan options. Whereas eating is such an essential part of life. The fact that I’m not able to get a decent meal makes student life much less enjoyable for me.’
In the petition, which already has over 300 signatures, Keurhorst asks WUR to live up to its reputation as the third most sustainable university in the world: ‘Your environmental footprint is much smaller when you are on a plant-based diet. Offering more vegan food is an opportunity for the university to set an example in terms of sustainable food.’
Keurhorst wants to have collected 500 signatures by the end of January. Then she will hand the petition over to the catering managers and a WUR representative. ‘The aim of the petition is to show that there is a demand for more vegan food on campus and to start a dialogue. I would like to collaborate with those responsible in finding a solution.’ To sign the petition, go to https://www.petitions24.com/morefood.