In McDonald’s 2009 Best of Green highlights, they mention that their use of an interactive software program, EcoProgress, for managing and reducing energy usage in restaurants in France achieved an 11% savings in electricity.In Australia, McDonald’s is involved in water management and say that over a 20 year period their advanced stormwater retention tanks can save nearly 4 million liters of water. In addition to this they are using water-conservation technologies that include low-flow spray nozzles, dual-flush toilets, and extensive native landscaping and water conservation improvements through smart irrigation practices. McDonald’s Australia’s recently updated landscaping guidelines educate contractors and field personnel on issues such as water conservation, the use of native and drought-resistant plantings, and advanced stormwater retention methods.
“In Brazil, Chile and Argentina, McDonald’s has partnered with local organizations that transform used cooking oil into biodiesel. Currently, 270 restaurants in these markets deliver their used oil to be converted into biodiesel, representing over 1,000,000 liters of oil to date.” Is this superficial greenwashing or is McDonald’s stepping up to the plate on environmental issues?McDonald’s is also jumping into the green building environment in the US. Last year, they opened their first “green restaurant” (in Chicago) for a new pilot program on green building. It received the Gold LEED rating! In one location in North Carolina, it has actually installed a charging station for electric vehicles.
McDonald’s is also making a big difference in Japan. By joining the Team Minus 6% program hosted by the Japanese government, “to reduce CO2 emissions by 1kg per person, per day, by offering a discount to consumers who registered to participate in the program,” McDonald’s helped to increase the participants from 40,000 to 380,000.Also McDonald’s Japan has installed LED lighting in 33 restaurants in 2009, CO2 emissions were reduced by 18 tons annually per restaurant and electricity consumption in the restaurants’ dining areas was reduced by an average of 44 percent, saving an average of $9,400 per year. Based on the demonstrated environmental and cost benefits, the decision has been made to install LED lighting in all new McDonald’s restaurants in Japan, and a review is underway to determine if LED lighting should be standard for all McDonald’s Japan restaurants.
In 2003, McDonald’s opened its first HFC-free restaurant in Vejle, Denmark. Equipped with appliances operating on natural refrigerants such as Propane, Isobutene, and CO2, the restaurant has none of the HFC gases harming the ozone layer and contributing to climate change. Compared with restaurants using conventional technology, the pilot restaurant consumes about 12 percent less energy and its Total Equivalent Warming Impact is on average 27 percent lower. Emissions are reduced by 25 tons of CO2 equivalents per year. "It really is cool to be green!" they say.
Moreover McDonald's saves nearly 161,000 trees a year thanks to the fact that the innovative container that holds the Big Mac (as well as the Quarter Pounder and Filet-O-Fish) is made with at least 37 percent recycled content.
Is McDonald’s a world leader in environmental issues now, or is this minor activity compared to their non-environmentally friendly activity?
Thus such an influential company is going behind green matters and that can be a huge benefit to the environment. For sure, they have influence on the success of the soya and cattle moratoria in the Amazon. And, clearly, they are helping to boost climate change action in Japan. They are doing a lot with some of their buildings to reduce energy usage. Is it enough? Is it living up to it’s environmental responsibilities? Is it a multi-national company others can follow?
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