Transparent Canteen

The Project

The Transparent Canteen is a project of the university health management, the Student Union of Upper Franconia, and GreenCampus. Its goal is to raise awareness among cafeteria guests about more environmentally conscious and healthier eating habits. The core element of this project is displaying the CO₂ emissions of a dish directly next to its description. The data comes from the database of the cooperation partner Eaternity and has been verified according to scientific criteria. This database was created as part of the initiative “Climate Plate in the Canteen” by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and includes comprehensive data from agriculture, logistics, industry, and the public sector. Part of the “Climate Plate” initiative is also to highlight a particularly healthy and sustainable dish every day. A dish is awarded the Climate Plate label if it causes at least 50% fewer CO₂ emissions than a comparable dish. The CO₂ emissions of all ingredients on the plate are taken into account—from cultivation to preparation in the kitchen. Starting in September 2025, you can find the Climate Plate and the emission information on the screens of the respective canteens.

You can find an overview of the meals offered by the canteens of Bayreuth here. Have a good meal!

Why is sustainable nutrition important?

The special importance of sustainability in nutrition becomes clear when looking at the numbers. Depending on the calculation method, between 15% (only direct emissions) and up to 38% (including, for example, transport and agriculture) of global emissions are attributed to food consumption. Many particularly CO₂-intensive dishes, such as beef, also have harmful health effects when consumed excessively. In most cases, more sustainable food choices are also the healthier ones – a synergy that should be utilized. Especially in large canteens, where half of all meals in Germany are consumed, there is a unique opportunity to implement effective and far-reaching measures – as the canteen in Bayreuth has now done.