peta2 Launches 2012 Contest as the Number of Vegan Students Skyrockets
For
Immediate Release:
October
11, 2012
Contact:
Sophia
Charchuk 202-483-7382
Towson, Md. -- According to food-service provider Bon Appétit, in the seven years since peta2, PETA's youth division, started its annual Most Vegan-Friendly College contest, the number of college students who identify themselves as vegetarian has risen by 50 percent and the number of vegan students has more than doubled. So this year, determining the best of 32 large schools and 32 small schools will be tougher than ever, but Towson University (TU) has a good shot.
Continuing to increase its profile among the nation's most vegan-friendly schools, TU has really stepped it up this year. Its T-Veggie Program, started in 2009, now covers the entire campus. TU has also recently introduced a T-Vegan Program, which unveiled delicious cruelty-free options such as coconut-curry tofu and lentil sloppy Joes. Vegan chicken cheese steaks and Tex-Mex tater-tot casseroles are just a small sampling of the meat-free meals that appeal to all students. Don't miss the Silk soy-milk dispensers, now offered in all dining halls on campus!
"The vegan revolution is in full swing, and nowhere is that more evident than at TU and other schools across the country," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "The best way that students can fortify their health for a tough year of hitting the books, protect the environment, and save animals' lives at the same time is to go vegan."
Besides being turned off by the massive suffering of animals raised and killed for food, students have other good reasons to go vegan. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer than meat-eaters are. Also, the United Nations has concluded that factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems at every level—from local to global—and that a worldwide shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.
The contest began October 8, and voting for the first round ends October 16. Round winners are determined by the number of votes received, the quality and variety of vegan foods offered by the schools, the schools' enthusiasm in promoting vegan options, and student feedback. For more information, please visit peta2.com.