Questions answered
There are 18 questions about “Rainforest” in the “What are you doing about...” topic.
Click on a question to read our answer.
- 1. Does McDonald's know about the effects of palm oil on both people's heath and the environment (i.e. Borneo rainforest)? Are there any plans to use a healthier/more enviromentally friendly substitute?
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McDonald’s does not cook any food in palm oil. A small number of the company’s suppliers use palm oil for cooking, or as an ingredient in their products. It is McDonald’s company policy that any supplier using palm oil must source it from a certified member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). RSPO is an association created by organisations carrying out their activities in and around the entire supply chain for palm oil. The organisation promotes the growth and use of sustainable palm oil, through co-operation within the supply chain and open dialogue with its stakeholders.
McDonald’s UK is now using a new non-hydrogenated cooking oil in its restaurants, substantially reducing the levels of Trans Fatty Acids in many of its most popular products.
The new blend of sunflower and rapeseed oil was introduced to all 1214 McDonald’s restaurants across the UK during April, eight months ahead of schedule, as part of a Europe-wide move by McDonald’s to reduce the TFA content of cooking oil in all its restaurants. The new oil has been developed without raising the saturated fat content or altering the taste, which research has shown is important to customers.
(May 2007)
FEBRUARY '08 UPDATE: McDonald’s UK now do not use any hydrogenated oil in any food items across the entire menu
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 2. How many acres of forest have been cut down to make way for pasture for your cows?
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None. McDonald's globally has a policy not to take cattle from rainforest or recently deforested areas. What's more, after discussions with McDonald's, Greenpeace and other NGOs, the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries and the National Association of Grain Exporters and their members have agreed not to trade soya from areas within the Amazon that have been deforested as of October 2006.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 3. So - you admit to the fact that you USED to be responsible for the destruction of the rainforest. Great to hear you have stopped this now, but are you planning on actually investing in the regeneration of areas you previously destroyed?
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When McDonald's was first alerted to this issue by Greenpeace, the company immediately reached out to suppliers, other NGOs and other companies to investigate and to determine the take appropriate action. The result was the signing of a two-year moratorium by all parties. This means that no soya will be traded from the Amazon until sufficient controls are in place. Greenpeace are engaging with the soy industry in Brazil to regenerate any illegally cleared land.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 4. In total how much rain forrest has been cleared in brazil for beef production? How much beef does McDonalds (worldwide) buy from Brazil?
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McDonald's globally has a long-standing policy not to source beef from recently deforested areas in the Amazon Rainforest. By implementing this, McDonald’s is ensuring that beef production doesn’t result in the clearance of rainforest and together with Greenpeace, McDonald’s have instigated an agreement by the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries and the National Association of Grain Exporters and their members that they will not trade soya from deforested areas within the Amazon as of October 2006, thereby preventing further deforestation. McDonald’s sources ingredients locally wherever possible. For example, all the beef used by McDonald’s UK last year came from British or Irish farms. Similarly McDonald’s Brazil sources its beef locally from reputable cattle farms which are not operating in deforested Amazonian rainforest. For further information about McDonald’s and Brazil, go to https://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/pages/global/greenpeace.html.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 5. Does Mcdonald's policy of grazing its cattle on land formerly covered by tropical rainforests pose a serious threat to the economic viability of tropical countries?
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McDonald’s does not use suppliers whose cattle are reared in recently deforested areas in the Amazon Rainforest. Furthermore, McDonald’s work with Greenpeace has resulted in an agreement by the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries and the National Association of Grain Exporters and their members not to trade soya from deforested areas within the Amazon as of October 2006. McDonald’s is not in a position to offer information on the economic viability of tropical countries.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 6. You have been direcly to blame for the clearing of the Brazilian rainforest which ultimaley destroys our environment and damages the ecosystem. Aren't you just one big greedy multi-national company?
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McDonald's globally works with its suppliers to a policy of not taking cattle from recently deforested areas in the Amazon Rainforest. In addition, together with Greenpeace McDonald's engaged in discussions with other NGOs, companies and the soya industry in Brazil to prevent further deforestation due to the production of soya for animal feed. The result of this work has been an agreement by the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries and the National Association of Grain Exporters and their members not to trade soya from deforested areas within the Amazon as of October 2006.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 7. Is Mcdonalds contributing to the destruction of Rainforests? To answer this honestly should not require an investigation. If it is, what steps are being made to reduce the impact?
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No. McDonald's globally works with its suppliers to a policy of not taking cattle from recently deforested areas in the Amazon Rainforest. Furthermore, after discussions with McDonald’s, Greenpeace and other NGOs, the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries and the National Association of Grain Exporters and their members not to trade soya from areas within the Amazon that have been deforested as of October 2006.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 8. Why are you destroying the South American Forest for your stupid restaurant?
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McDonald’s doesn’t destroy the Amazon Rainforest. McDonald's globally works with its suppliers to a policy of not taking cattle from recently deforested areas in the Amazon Rainforest With Greenpeace, McDonald's engaged in discussions with other NGOs (non-governmental organisations), companies and the soya industry in Brazil to prevent further deforestation due to the production of soya for animal feed. This work has resulted in an agreement by the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries and the National Association of Grain Exporters and their members not to trade soya from deforested areas within the Amazon as of October 2006.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 9. how much rain forest beef is used,not throughout just britain but throughout the whole mcdonalds empire?
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McDonald's UK uses beef reared on British and Irish farms. Only in exceptional circumstances, when demand is greater than the existing supply, will it look further afield to Europe. McDonald’s globally has a policy not to take cattle from rainforest or recently deforested areas.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 10. Why do you destroy 800 square miles of rainforest each year and only get a small percentage of the paper you use from recycled sources?
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McDonald's globally works with its suppliers to a policy of not taking cattle from recently deforested areas in the Amazon Rainforest. In addition, together with Greenpeace McDonald's has engaged in discussions with other NGOs (non-governmental organisations), companies and the soya industry in Brazil to prevent further deforestation due to the production of soya for animal feed. This work has resulted in an agreement by the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries and the National Association of Grain Exporters and their members not to trade soya from deforested areas within the Amazon as of October 2006. Actually, a large percentage of the paper McDonald’s uses comes from recycled sources – the hamburger clamshells are made of 72 percent recycled paper, as are the pie boxes, French Fry cartons and McNugget boxes. McDonald’s uses 100 percent recycled paper for tray liners, napkins and drink carriers. It is not always possible to use recycled paper for food packaging due to food safety laws, as food is not allowed to come into direct contact with recycled papers.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 11. Are McDonalds still exploiting the Amazon rain forests by purchasing materials grown there to feed their chickens?
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McDonald's globally works with its suppliers to a policy of not taking cattle from recently deforested areas in the Amazon Rainforest. Together with Greenpeace, McDonald's engaged in discussions with other NGOs, companies and the soya industry in Brazil to prevent further deforestation due to the production of soya for animal feed. This work has resulted in an agreement by the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries and the National Association of Grain Exporters and their members not to trade soya from deforested areas within the Amazon as of October 2006. This agreement also has the commitment of McDonald’s suppliers.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 12. how much of the rainforest has been cut down by the mac donalds corporation in the past 5 or ten years? and also, what's your view on global warming and what're you doing to help prevent it??
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None. McDonald's globally works with its suppliers to a policy of not taking cattle from recently deforested areas in the Amazon Rainforest. In addition, together with Greenpeace McDonald's engaged in discussions with other NGOs (non-governmental organisations), companies and the soya industry in Brazil to prevent further deforestation due to the production of soya for animal feed. The result of this work is an agreement by the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries and the National Association of Grain Exporters and their members not to trade soya from deforested areas within the Amazon as of October 2006. The company is continuously looking to reduce energy usage and make use of technology and efficient practices in restaurants. Examples of this are light sensors which are used to turn off lighting when not required, all restaurants use low energy bulbs and computerised energy management systems are used to operate lighting, plant operation, heating and air flow.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 13. Was McDonalds one of the fast service chains that Greenpeace referred to in their allegations about the destruction of the Amazon rain forest? Will McDonalds publish the results of its investigation in to these allegations?
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Yes, McDonald’s was one of the organisations that Greenpeace referred to. Since these concerns were raised, McDonald’s has, together with Greenpeace, engaged in discussions with other NGOs (non-governmental organisations), companies and the soya industry in Brazil to prevent further deforestation due to the production of soya for animal feed. This work has resulted in an agreement by the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries and the National Association of Grain Exporters and their members not to trade soya from deforested areas within the Amazon as of October 2006.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 14. What kind of beef do you use in your burgers? I've heard that you buy meat from farmers in South America who cut down forests to create grazing pasture for their cows. What do you say to the environmental impact of your ingredient sources?
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McDonald's UK does not use any beef from South America, and McDonald's globally works with its suppliers to a policy of not taking cattle from recently deforested areas in the Amazon Rainforest. In fact, McDonald’s work with Greenpeace has resulted in an agreement by the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries and the National Association of Grain Exporters and their members not to trade soya from deforested areas within the Amazon as of October 2006. McDonald's UK uses beef reared on British and Irish farms. Only in exceptional circumstances, when demand is greater than the existing supply, will it look further afield to Europe.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 15. Why do you think it's okay to use so much of the rainforests making packaging to fill landfill sites?
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McDonald’s aims to make sure that as much packaging as possible is made from renewable sources. All bags, tray liners and cup carriers are made from 100 percent recycled paper, and the packaging for Hamburgers, fries, Chicken McNuggets and Apple Pies is made from 72 percent recycled paper. The company is also looking for ways to further minimise packaging waste.
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