McDonald's Straw Dilemma

[Rhiannon12866]

The fast-food chain’s shareholders will consider a proposal for the restaurant to come up with plastic straw alternatives.

May 23, 2018
​OAK BRIDGE, Ill. – The backlash against plastic straws will gain momentum this week when McDonald’s shareholders consider a proposal to look into alternatives for its restaurants around the world, USA Today reports. The fast-food industry has been hit hard from environmental groups and others railing against its overuse of hard-to-recycle packaging, which includes plastic foam cups, boxes, carryout bags, trays, plastic wrap and plastic straws.

McDonald’s says it works hard to lower waste and increase recycling, including its pledge to discontinue use of foam cups by the end of this year. However, the company recommends shareholders not vote for the straw study measure.

“We continue to work to find a more sustainable solution for plastic straws globally,” McDonald’s said in a statement. “In the meantime, we have adopted compostable straws in certain markets to meet regulations while we work with packaging experts to develop a planet-friendly, cost-effective answer for all McDonald’s restaurants.”

SumOfUs has garnered close to half a million names on an online petition asking McDonald’s to get rid of plastic straws. “Straws are an important issue because, for the most part, we can do without them,” said Sondhya Gupta, a senior campaigner for SumOfUs. “You just get them popped into a drink without thinking about them. They are small and they are light, so they are difficult to recycle.”


More: http://www.convenience.org/Media/Daily/Pages/ND0523181_McDonalds-Straw-Dilemma_Green.aspx#.WwUnzO4vxdh

[eShirl]

1. paper straws

[Rhiannon12866]

2. That was exactly my first thought, too!

[Sherman A1]

3. Yeah

That would be tough to do as they have never been used in the past.....oh, wait!

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Do they really need to call a meeting??

[Sherman A1]

5. But of course!

A meeting leading to a committee to study various options, which will require many meetings and input (along with lots of lunches), reams of paper for reports, some conference calls, more studies, market focus groups and an eventual report that there is nothing that can be economically found in the market place to make the needed changes.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. I hope that they do better than McDonald's for all those lunches!

[Renew Deal]

8. How many trees have to die?

[Ferrets are Cool]

7. I grew up with paper straws.

Not a damn thing wrong with them, especially if made from recycled materials.

[Renew Deal]

9. The problem is that there aren't great alternatives other than not using straws at all

That’s OK with me. Not sure how other people will receive it. Also, it’s almost impossible eliminate straws for young kids.