To save the environment, Berlin universities go 'almost' meatless

German capital's campus canteens drastically cut meat and fish options;from this winter, Berlin's universities will be almost meatless.

From October, 34 canteens and cafes that serve Berlin's student population across four universities will offer a menu that's 68 per cent vegan, 28 per cent vegetarian,and a fish option that would make up another 2 per cent.

While there will be meat on the menu, but it'll be limited to only one option four days a week.

Daniela Kummle of Studierendenwerk, which provides economic, social, health, and cultural support to students living in Berlin's universities, explains that they developed this nutritional concept after students requested an environmental-friendly menu at the canteens.

According to a survey conducted in 2019, 13.5 per cent of Berlin's student population describes themselves as vegans, compared with only 1.6 per cent of the country's total population, while 33 per cent consider themselves vegetarians.The Berlin universities' canteens served 5.6 million students that year.

After years of increasing demand, German university canteens and cafeterias already offer 30-50 per cent vegetarian meals, said Stefan Grob, a spokesperson for Deutsches Studentenwerk the umbrella organization for student support services.

Student consumers' consumption habits are changing, according to Kummle, Director of the Studierendenwerk Association. A trend toward fewer animal-based products is very evident, according to him.

Since 2010, the Free University of Berlin has had a vegetarian canteen called Veggie No.1 and 2019 saw the opening of a restaurant serving only vegan food called Veggie No. 2.

Among Berlin's university students, climate protection has become a pressing concern.

In 2019, almost 300 staff members at Humboldt Universityand Technische Universität Berlin signed a letter agreeing to forego short-distance travel related to their jobs for journeys shorter than 1,000km.

Humboldt University aims to be climate neutral by 2030, while Technische Universität Berlin hopes to be climate neutral by 2045.