NYU continues to develop pathways to achieve climate neutrality by 2040, through means like building electrification, student engagement, academic opportunities, and more. The university has recently committed to NYC’s Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge to reduce food-related greenhouse emissions and opened the doors to Rubin Hall, the largest Passive House retrofit in the United States. The Marron Institute recently received $20 million to help fund citywide sustainability goals, allowing the university to create positive change in the city.

Most recently, NYU held numerous Climate Week events to bring together students, faculty, and staff in championing change and sustainability initiatives. 

A big thank you to our community members for their efforts in advancing our sustainability goals and helping make NYU one of the greenest urban campuses!

 

Arianna Cooper, Director of Sustainability for Chartwells at NYU, will show the NYU community how to cook Summer Rolls with a Peanut-Free Dipping Sauce and Banana Bread in a Mug. Find the delicious recipes below, so that you can prepare them on your own!

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Vegetable Summer Roll

Summer Roll 16 oz firm tofu, drained, rinsed, and pressed 1 packed cup shredded Napa cabbage 1 packed cup shredded carrots ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro ¼ cup chopped fresh mint 2 cups cooked vermicelli noodles (or thin rice noodles) 12-15 rice paper wrappers

Dipping Sauce ¼ cup sunflower seed butter 3 tablespoons lime juice 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce optional, adjust to taste 1 clove garlic finely minced 3-4 tablespoons hot water

Instructions

1. Cut vegetables in thin sticks, shred cabbage and slice carrots.
2. Add rice noodles to bowl of hot water, according to package directions.
3. Fill pie plates with warm water. Dip rice wrapper in warm water for 10-15 seconds, making sure to hold down edges so they don’t curl up. 
4. Remove wrapper and place on towel, gently pat slightly dry.
5. Add noodles and any vegetables you like to lower half of wrapper. 
6. Begin rolling by pulling wrapper over vegetables, fold in sides and roll tightly. 

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Banana Bread in a Mug

• ⅓ cup mashed bananas
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon oat milk
• 1 tablespoon raw brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pinch of ground cinnamon½ teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

1. In a mug, add in the mashed banana, oil, milk and sugar. Whisk together for about 30 seconds to combine completely and banana is completely mashed. Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
2. Stir to combine for about 20 more seconds to ensure it’s all incorporated, ensuring to get the bottom too.
3. Place in your microwave for about 80 seconds. Remove and let cool for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle some coarse sea salt on top and enjoy!

The Office of Sustainability, in collaboration with the Greener by Default Coalition at NYU and the Animal Rights Collective, is excited to host the 2024 Plant-Based Food Festival! This festival is a chance for the NYU community to dive into the wonders and deliciousness of plant-based eating. NYU is also a leading climate actor in the food sector with a pledge to reduce food-based emissions by 25% by 2030.

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Ambo

• Ambo is an everyday Indian food spot that has a ton of vegan options!
• Website + Instagram (@amboeats)
• Ambo is located close to campus at 55C E 8th St, New York. 

Jensen Plant-Based Division: Before the Butcher

• Before the Butcher offers plant-based burger patties, grounds, chunks, shreds, and more, to seamlessly replace traditional meats in your favorite recipes.
• Website + Instagram (@beforethebutcher)
• You can find Before the Butcher at Whole Foods. The nearest one is located by Union Square. 

Bored Cow

• Bored Cow is a dairy drink made with milk protein from fermentation, so no cows are involved! 
• Website + Instagram (@tryboredcow)
• You can find Bored Cow at select Target locations and grocery stores. Explore their map to find the closest one to you. 

Chakra

• Chakra is a Thai-Indian restaurant with Thai vegan dishes and other plant-based meals. 
• Website + Instagram (@chakra_nyc_resturant)
• Chakra is located near campus at 317 East 5th St, New York.

Fabalish 

• Fabalish is a woman-founded and led plant-based company on a mission to make comfort food dips and bites.
• Website + Instagram (@fabalishfoods)
• You can order Fabalish dips, falafel bites, and brownie bites on their website. 

Fable

• Fable features shiitake mushrooms whose dense, fleshy fibers and umami flavours are naturally meat-like.
• Website + Instagram (@fablefoodco)
• Fable can be found in Australia, Canada, the UK, and Singapore. Their ingredients are also found in restaurants close to campus (Spicy Moon, Beatnic, etc.). 

Imposter

• Imposter offers plant-based Mozz Sticks and Mozz Shreds, a perfect college student meal! 
• Website + Instagram (@imposterfood)
• Imposter is primarily found in restaurants around Albany, New York. 

Land Lovers

• This cow-free steak is made from simple, high-protein plant-based ingredients and utilizes only a fraction of the water, energy, and emissions it takes to produce animal meat.
• Website + Instagram (@landloversusa)
• You can find Land Lovers in different restaurants around the country. 

Le Botaniste

• Le Botaniste was the first organic, plant-based, and carbon-neutral restaurant in New York City. 
• Website + Instagram (@le_botaniste)
• Le Botaniste has various restaurant locations around the city, find the closest one near you!

Local Roots

• Local Roots NYC is an independent, minority woman-owned business and grassroots movement building a community-driven, regenerative food system in New York City.
• Website + Instagram
• Order your food on their website!

Mezcla

• Mezcla is a plant-based puff-crispy bar with 10 grams of protein. 
• Website + Instagram (@eatmezcla)
• You can find Mezcla bars at a number of grocery stores and markets in New York. Explore their map to find the closest one! 

Nature’s Fynd

• Nature’s Fynd offers fungi-based protein products that are meatless and dairy-free. 
• Website + Instagram (@naturesfynd)
• You can find Nature’s Fynd in grocery stores across New York, with the closest location being Union Square Whole Foods. 

Never Better Foods

• Never Better Foods offers a range of plant-based cheese products.
• Website + Instagram (@neverbetterfoods) 
• You can order Never Better products on Amazon. 

NUMU Cheese

• This plant-based mozzarella is a great addition to pizza, lasagnas, and all other mozz dishes.
• Website + Instagram (@numuvegan)
• NUMU Cheese can be found at restaurants throughout New York, with Ben’s Pizzeria being one of the closer ones on Macdougal St, and nationwide at Whole Foods pizza bars. 

Oatly

• Oatly produces alternatives to dairy products from oats, including oat milk and oat-based soft serve. 
• Website + Instagram (@oatly) 
• Oatly is available in most grocery stores. You can also find Oatly products in NYU dining halls!

Stockeld Dreamery

• This plant-based vegan cheese company is made with cultured legumes and has various cream cheese spreads and slices that are perfect to melt on sandwiches. 
• Website + Instagram (@stockeld_dreamery) 
• You can find Stockeld Cream Cheese in grocery stores and bagel spots, with the closest one being Westside Market, and Stockeld Melt at various restaurant spots like Plantega and more.

Strong Roots

• At Strong Roots, you can find frozen plant-based meal kits as well as different types of fries, hash browns, and bites. 
• Website + Instagram (@strongroots)
• You can find Strong Roots are different grocery stores around the country and the closet to campus is Whole Foods by Union Square. 

 

NYU has joined the Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge, pledging to reduce food-based emissions by 25% by 2030!

The NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy launched the Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge to engage private sector institutions in the effort to fight climate change through more sustainable food systems. Food systems are the third largest emitter of greenhouse gasses globally and account for 20% of New York City’s overall footprint, making diet a crucial component to creating a more sustainable world. Foods have different carbon footprints, with animal-based protein like red meat and dairy emitting more carbon than plant-based protein alternatives. Therefore, an effective (and delicious) way to reduce an environmental footprint is to add or improve options for low-carbon, plant-based food! 

What will this mean for food at NYU?

The action plan at NYU will focus on developing more plant-based options in dining halls, collaborating with events and catering to create plant-forward menus, and working with vendors to source more sustainable foods. For example, dairy milk is oftentimes a default but can be substituted by oat milk to be more carbon-friendly. Redesigning menus to list plant-based meals first is also a simple change that can push consumers to reframe their dietary patterns. Changing diets to be more sustainable doesn’t happen overnight, so encouraging behavioral changes and showing the NYU community that plant-based eating can be delicious is a step in the right direction. 

How does this fit in with other sustainability efforts at NYU?

NYU is a leading climate actor with a goal to achieve climate neutrality by 2040. Not only does this commitment align with our Coolfood Pledge, which similarly focuses on reducing food-based greenhouse gas emissions across all of NYU’s campuses by 25% by 2030, but it also fits alongside other initiatives like the Passive House retrofit of Rubin Hall, our annual Green Apple Move Out initiative, and our transportation related programs and policies. 

The Office of Sustainability is excited to be participating in Welcome Week 2024! Swing by one of the many events that we’ll be at to meet our office and other students interested in environmental issues, and to learn about NYU’s climate goals and how you can get involved in sustainability on campus. You can learn more about us and what we do at nyu.edu/sustainability. We can’t wait to meet you soon! 

University-Wide Tabling

• Transfer Students Pre-Orientation Program: Fri, 8/26 from 1:30pm-2:30pm
• NYU Welcome Weekend Info Fair: Sat, 8/24 from 10am-5pm & Sun, 8/26 from 10am-4pm

School-Specific Tabling & Presentations

• Liberal Studies Pre-Orientation Sustainability Presentation: Tues, 8/20 from 2pm-2:30pm
• Graduate School of Arts & Science Resource Fair: Wed, 8/21 from 12pm-3pm
• Center for Data Science Orientation Sustainability Presentation: Tues, 8/27 from 2:15pm-2:45pm
• Tandon New Student Orientation Fair: Wed, 8/28 from 10:30am-4:15pm
• Global Public Health Resource Expo: Thurs, 8/29 from 11am-1pm
• Year 2 Launch Party: Thurs, 9/5 from 2pm-3pm

Office of Sustainability Events

• Green Campus Tour: Join us for a walking tour of NYU’s green spaces including green roofs, urban farms, and themed gardens. On the tour, you’ll also learn how NYU is building a more environmentally sustainable campus.
  • Wed, 8/28 from 11am-12pm
  • Thurs, 9/5 from 2pm-3pm
• Climate Action Mixer with Plant Meditation and Plant Giveaway: Participate in a 30-minute meditation offering gratitude to the natural world. Afterwards, enjoy plant-based snacks while getting to know your peers.
  • Thurs, 8/29 from 12:30pm-1:30pm
  • Wed, 9/4 from 12:30pm-1:30pm