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Score One for the Environment
By: Justin Ramb
Staff Writer
You may have
walked into a
McDonald's restaurant
and received a piece of
polystyrene foam with
your Big Mac. This light,
shock-resistant, insulat
ing piece of foam is cheap
to make, and is showing
up everywhere. Dispos
able coffee cups, boxes
that hold the fast food
hamburgers, and pack
ing "peanuts" for ship
ping are just a few uses
of the foam. But recently,
due to environmental
ists, McDonald's an
nounced that it would
begin phasing out foam
packaging within 60
days at its 8,500 United
States restaurants. This
foam is serious business
to environmentalists.
Polystyrene is a bulky
material which takes up
large amounts of room
in landfills. In addition
to causing a space short
age, this foam also re
leases hazardous chemi
cals as it decomposes.
McDonald's is mak
ing the phaseout part of
a broad pro-environ
ment campaign that the
company is developing
in partnership with the
Washington-based En
vironment Defense
Fund.
But what now?
McDonald's probably
will replace its ham
burger boxes with mate
rial similar to the thin
paper used to wrap its
smallest sandwiches.
Not only does this paper
decompose quicker, it
also takes up 90% less
space than the foam
when thrown away.
However, this is still
not the ideal solution.
This paper is not yet re
cyclable, and the produc
tion requires the cutting
down of trees.
While its changes
aren’t completely per
fect, McDonald's is pro
viding a role model for
other companies. Hope
fully, many companies
will follow their lead.
Makin' it great!
502 W State St. Black Mountain
669-9455
Saturday, 9-1:00 am
Howerton Cafeteria
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Here*s how it works:
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