More to Green Than Leafy Greens

Hippies. Hipsters. Crazy PETA activists. Most people think in stereotypes when they think about the kinds of people that are vegetarians or vegans in college. I’m just a normal college girl, I’m a vegetarian at James Madison University, I care about the environment, and I have some serious praises and serious frustrations with JMU Dining Services.

My biggest complaint: Lack of variety and creativity in the meatfree food options.

Yes, the dining halls have vegetarian options. But most of the time, not eating meat means overloading on carbs, because pasta and cheese or veggie pizza are easy veg options. I’m sure you’re thinking, there’s always salad! But seriously. Would you really want to eat a bunch of leafy greens with random other veggies for every meal every day all year long? Didn’t think so. Greens can only satisfy a girl for so long.

Branch out, JMU. Let’s work together and create some culinary magic and provide environmentally friendly vegetarian and vegan eaters just as many unique and delicious options that all the carnivores out there get.

Ask us what we like! Get our feedback. Making the Veggie Variations station at D Hall into just Asian inspired rice and pasta all the time really isn’t thrilling me. Mix it up, give us variety. Nobody wants the same old food all the time.

Okay. Now. On to my biggest praise. Dining Services is up to some seriously sweet stuff when it comes to reducing their ecological footprint.

They’ve partnered up with Produce Source Partners which supports local farmers in VA and NC and uses mostly in-season produce, which is the such a solid way to go green and help our local environment and sustainability.

They also participate in “The Harvest Program” which donates wholesome food from various dining locations and donates it to local food banks. Their slogan is “Let Nothing Be Wasted” and I’m totally on board with this! Let people know that this is going on, JMU, this not only promotes being environmentally friendly and not producing waste, but it supports our local community too, and that’s awesome in every way.

Dining locations are now composting, using biodegradable utensils and containers, eliminating trays that requires extra cleaning processes, conserving water and energy, and more. Read more about everything JMU Dining Services is up to when it comes to protecting and saving our environment.

Hippies, activists, and normal college kids alike need to come together to be green in our dining habits on campus. JMU, thanks for everything you’re doing to go green. I’m thankful, I know other students are thankful, and our pretty planet thanks you too.

If you could just provide some more variety in vegetarian and vegan food options for all of us that fall under that category, I promise I’ll be your biggest fan forever. You’re not ranked #5 for great campus food by The Princeton Review for nothing!

Going All Natural

Beetle juice. Beetle juice. Beetle juice! Don’t worry your Starbucks barista will know what you mean.

Recently the mega coffee corporation has come under fire for using crushed Peruvian cochineal  beetle bugs to create the red food coloring in several items from their strawberry frappuccino to the red velvet whoopee pie.  Vegans and vegetarians are crying out, stating that now many drinks can no longer be an option due to the crushed insects and Starbucks’ statement that they could not guarantee that there would not be cross-contamination.

Just today Starbucks released yet another statement concerning the backlash, stating they will reconsider the ingredient. But is this little bug really a big deal?

The red dye that comes from the cochineal bug is found in more items that you might think. Enjoy cranberry juice? Wear virtually any shade of red lipstick? Or maybe you just like strawberry yogurt? Then you’ve experienced this natural additive. Yum.

Unfortunately, bugs aren’t the only natural additive that has made its way into our everyday products. Don’t worry; you should be safe with a nice veggie laden sandwich. Wrong. L-cysteine, commonly found in breads, pastries and pizza dough, is derived from a natural protein source we are all familiar with- human hair.

That must be what Weezy meant when he said “long hair, don’t care.”

But don’t despair; being natural isn’t limited to what you eat. Ambergris, a wale stomach excrement, is commonly used in perfumes to help the scent last longer. So if you love Chanel No. 5 then you are truly one with the environment.

Before I really freak you out and force you to a life of fasting, realize that these additives are FDA safe and have been used for many years before anyone actually knew how innovative and disgusting we could be. Just know that natural additives can be as weird as those manufactured ones.