Warren Wilson in the running for most vegan-friendly college in U.S.

Here’s the press release from peta2:

WARREN WILSON IN THE RUNNING FOR MOST VEGAN-FRIENDLY COLLEGE IN THE U.S.
peta2 Launches 2012 Contest as Number of Vegan Students Skyrockets

Asheville, N.C. — 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 Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, N.C., has a good shot.

As the general manager of Warren Wilson’s dining office told peta2, “We walk the talk.” At a school with a vegan option at every meal—plus an exclusively vegan café that serves 500 people per day—cruelty-free cuisine is serious business. With tasty Southern treats such as barbecued tofu and coleslaw, macaroni cauliflower bake, and pineapple upside-down cake, students don’t have to sacrifice their ethics for flavor.

“The vegan revolution is in full swing, and nowhere is that more evident than at Warren Wilson College 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—local and 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.