Get to know us!

Hello! We are Marloes, Casper, Esther, Andrea, Emma. In the following articles we want to inform you on alternative protein sources (protein sources other than meat and dairy). The production of meat has a large share in global CO2 production and in order to sustain the growing world population, people need to shift to more sustainable protein sources like those found in vegetarian or vegan diets. Recently, an article was published in which experts advocate for meat-free canteens in schools. However, banning meat and shifting to a vegetarian diet is a controversial topic and not easily accessible for everyone due to a lack of knowledge and/or financial resources. Before talking more about alternative protein sources, let us first introduce ourselves!

Marloes

I’m Marloes, a student of Sustainable Development, and a true believer in making the world a greener place. I may have a bit of a shopping addiction and a love for traveling, but I’m still on a mission to live an eco-friendly life. My friends come to me for the inside scoop on  healthy and sustainable recipes. Even if this requires them to go out of their comfort-zone and try something new like insects or seaweed. Although I’m far from perfect, I’m on a mission to make the world a better place, one sustainable step at a time.

Casper

Hey there! I’m Casper and my background lies in Biomedical Sciences, specifically Drug Innovation. You can find me in the lab looking at cells, though you’re more likely to catch me caring for my plants or having nice dinners with friends or flatmates. I also like to try new things, for example trying out new meat alternatives, or even making my own tofu. But back to science: I am always fascinated with all the cool new stuff we can achieve because of science, and I think it’s incredibly important to make sure that everyone can have access to that knowledge.

Esther

Hello, I am Esther and when I started my masters I was convinced I wanted to become a stem cell scientist and regrow parts of the human body. However, when I noticed my passion for sharing cool science news with my friends and family, I knew I wanted to become a science communicator. As I learned about the impact of meat on our environment I started to cook more vegetarian meals. However, when I started going to the gym I began to wonder, “Does a vegetarian diet contain enough protein to build muscle?” Join me on the quest to find the answer to this question using science. 

Andrea

I am Andrea and, once I finished my bachelor’s in Biochemistry, I decided to broaden my perspective on sustainability and environmental impact by enrolling the master Toxicology and Environmental Health at Utrecht University.  Motivated by this passion, I decided to cut down my meat intake to reduce my environmental impact some years ago. Yet, achieving that while maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet…Is that possible? What are all those soja and tofu-based products made of? Are we making informed choices? Let’s try to dig deeper into it together.  It seems that merging biochemistry and sustainability wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

Emma

I am Emma and I am doing the Master Environmental biology, with a major in plant-microbe interactions. I like to share my fascination for nature and science with others, hence the communication profile. I like to be creative and like to make things that I can either use or wear. I try to be warry about how my actions impact the world, which is why I hope to find out how I can contribute to a sustainable future the best by researching this topic. If it turns out that my choice of words could change peoples attitude towards all protein options, itt could be my biggest contribution to a sustainable future.