Reduce your emissions: McDonald's goes green with a new type of store
Fast Food Goes Healthy
Pizza Hut says it is swapping out its chemically enhanced ingredients and using instead premium, all-natural ingredients.
Alan Diaz, AP
Long John Silver's introduced Freshside Grille, a new menu of great-tasting, premium seafood entrees that are lower in calories and fat, including Pacific Salmon (pictured), Shrimp Scampi and Tilapia. www.freshsidegrille.com (Photo: YUM!)
YUM! / AP
Burger King, the world's No. 2 hamburger chain, says its trans-fat free in all of its US restaurants. For healthier options on its menu, Burger King offers three salads.
Evan Agostini, Getty Images
All of KFC's 5,500 U.S. stores have stopped frying chicken in artery-clogging trans fat, which the fast food chain said would not change how its fried chicken tastes. Last year KFC introduced grilled chicken onto its menu.
David Silverman, Getty Images
KFC's sister brand Taco Bell has also switched to a trans fat-free frying oil, and is working to remove trans fat from all of its ingredients.
Mike Derer, AP
Trans fat in food increases "bad" cholesterol and the risk of heart disease, and trans fat levels are now required on food labels.
Scott Olson, Getty Images
McDonald's began using 0-gram trans fatty acids (TFA) canola blend cooking oil in May 2008 in nearly 14,000 restaurants. The company has a website on food, nutrition, and wellness with videos on how some food items, like Egg McMuffins, are made.
Chris Hondros, Getty Images
Joanna Canizares (far left) of Miami, Fla.; Tonia Welling (center) of Bentonville, Ark.; and Monica Fuentes of Anthem, Ariz. tour an orchard with Bill Gerling, general manager of Lake Ontario Fruit, Inc., near Albion, N.Y. to see how apples are grown for McDonald's Apple Dippers and Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad. The women are McDonald's Moms Quality Correspondents, six moms selected to explore McDonald's food quality and report what they learn via online journals. (PRNewsFoto/McDonald's)
McDonald's USA / AP
Starbucks announced in May that it will cut artificial trans fats out of food and drinks in its stores in the continental U.S., Alaska and Canada by the end of the year. It offers salads and wraps in addition to fat-reduced muffins and cakes.
Ted S. Warren, AP
Wendy's already made the move to a new cooking oil that cuts out trans fats from its products.
Joe Raedle, Getty Images
And there are special parking spaces for hybrid vehicles. (Yeah, that one's a little much, but we appreciate the thought.)
The company, which is based outside of Chicago, considers the location to be a "green learning laboratory" for future design concepts that could be exported to its 14,000 U.S. locations and 31,000 worldwide ones. I hope they do it as quickly as they can and take it out of the prototype phase, because we needed corporations to take action in this department a long time ago.
Until McDonald's finds a way to implement these design changes at locations around the world, the effort is nice, but irrelevant. The changes also only address the face of McDonald's that customers see -- what about how cattle are raised and slaughtered, and where the supplies come from? The company may be able to get Al Gore off its back, but it still has to contend with PETA and Morgan Spurlock.
For now, until the company figures out a way to make these ideas widespread, this new design is a form of "greenwashing" -- putting eco efforts front and center for P.R. purposes. I applaud the company for trying, but for it to truly matter, let's see McDonald's put its money where my mouth is.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
4-08-2009 @ 2:18PM
Skyboi said...
This may not be significant to you, but to McDonald's it's the first step to a new way of doing business. This will not only be better for the environment, but it will save the company money by reducing it's energy costs.
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4-08-2009 @ 3:24PM
Diana said...
Unfortunately, there are no unbiased reporters anymore. All reporters are either labled liberal, or ultra-conservative. Makes it very hard for a person trying to be well informed on all sides of an issue, and that is why the media is the way it is today. Even on something as good as a fast food restaurant, found in almost every major city, (and most small ones, too), in America, and in many places around the world, constructing buildings better for the enviornment... the media has to slant it one way, or the other. There is no middle ground. Most journalists today (to include most of those around the world) slant their opinions, to market their words. It creates controversy, which is more profitable for the writers. Its what the people want, apparently. Until we all decide enough is enough, the media will continually put their views into words, instead of just the facts. We wont ever do that, of course. Its the controversy and the emotional impact that count now.
4-08-2009 @ 6:56PM
silvermagnum said...
Lord only knows what they'll put in their beef and salads!
4-09-2009 @ 1:35PM
Megan said...
Actually this isn't the first "green" McDonald's, one was built in Bay Point, California about 1996. Other McDonald's followed in the same fashion.
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4-08-2009 @ 3:28PM
kerry wenrich said...
mcdonalds going green geese! what's this world coming 2 i betcha ya this is obama's fault
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4-08-2009 @ 4:43PM
jack5 said...
too soon.....everything is still W's fault for a while. But its a good thing W never got to push the hurricane the hurricane button again he had in the oval
Going Green???? what a joke all these sheep are.
4-08-2009 @ 2:32PM
Billy said...
I agree skyboi. McDonalds should be applauded not criticized. At least they're trying something real. It seems like the author just hates hamburger places in general. I, personally, love a good cow.
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4-08-2009 @ 6:14PM
watdafuk said...
Yea but you are not going to get that at Mcdonalds. Good or cow.
4-08-2009 @ 2:44PM
Frank Lee said...
Previous posters 100% correct. WTF do they teach in journalism courses these days??? Jason- do you think McDs is going to remodel every store in the chain before evaluating the systems they are testing? That would be stupid.
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4-08-2009 @ 2:51PM
the saint said...
Purpose of article is to inform so we can make our own opinions.
Me thinks author a veggimoe...
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4-08-2009 @ 2:54PM
Pam said...
P.E. T. A = People Eating Tasty Animals.
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4-08-2009 @ 3:01PM
Robert said...
I think that McDonald's is trying. They need to serve healthier food. I generally have liked the restaurant. Glad that they are going green.
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4-08-2009 @ 3:04PM
Ed said...
How about eliminating the drive thru window so that a line of cars aren't wasting gas & polluting the air while they wait?
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4-09-2009 @ 8:20PM
pattyrose20 said...
I'm with you on that. I walk in and get my order filled and back to my car while those waiting at the window sit and sit and yes, leave the motors running. They have more money than I do if they can use gas that way! Not to mention the fumes and contamination the cars are emitting. Lord help us.
4-14-2009 @ 8:53PM
Faith said...
Have you ever tried to get a toddler/infant through a fast food line? How about carrying a infant car seat and a tray of food at the same time? I like my drive thru thank you very much. Find another solution to save the environment.
4-08-2009 @ 3:05PM
mmmMeat said...
waaa, people eat cows. What an ass.
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4-08-2009 @ 3:12PM
Bruce said...
If McDonalds wants to go green, they should do away with all
their drive-thrus. Do you realize how much fuel is wasted every
year with all the drive-thru's in all the businesses in this country?
Drive-thru's should be limited ONLY to people with handicap
permits.
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4-09-2009 @ 9:14AM
Trish said...
At least McD is trying...don't hear about to may OTHER places even trying. I think OTHER place may take note of McD's and copy them, this is a fantastic idea and a step in the right direction. I see things in my own home that I feel some thing should be done about them, but at present theres nothing available. I have been recycleing things for 20 years and every year or so they add more to recycle.
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4-08-2009 @ 3:51PM
Rodney said...
One step at a time. It's hard to quit smoking or any addictive habit cold turkey. Yeah it's best, but taking baby steps can produce longer lasting sustainable effects.
McD's is taking a step in the right direction. Remember the styrofoam sandwich containers? Now paper. Too much waste? Recycling! Energy usage? Green Tech! Trans fat? Healthier alternatives on the menu and food prep. We do need "wacko's" to know our final goal and a little push now and then. We're getting there people. It all balances out in the end - Profit, better food and good for everyone! Progressing carefully can also prevent mistakes which can be costly. McD's is a business for profit afterall.
If you still don't like it, don't support McD's as a customer and open up your own restaurant chain.
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4-08-2009 @ 3:53PM
LB said...
What a show. How "green" is styrofoam used for their drink cups ect. I can't even begin to get into how un-green this company is. I was by customer service that they use styrofoam because of the FDA. Huh? It's all for show. Support your local resteraunts and help your community.
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