McDonalds shareholders voted down a proposal that would have potentially set the company on a path toward reducing the number of single-use plastic straws it distributes.
The proposal merely would have required McDonalds to investigate and submit a report on efforts to find alternatives to plastic straws and to assess the business risks associated with continuing to use plastic straws. Despite the noncommittal nature of the proposal, it garnered votes from less than 10% of McDonalds shareholders.
In January, McDonalds pledged to source all packaging from renewable or recycled sources by 2025. And that was a hugely laudable step forward. But this week’s shareholder vote sent a message that there will be no additional measures to protect the planet. To keep pushing forward to address the immense amount of plastic straw waste it is responsible for would be “redundant” in their eyes. The company stated that the requested report would divert funds from its current initiatives and have no benefit.
Here at Lady Freethinker we write about single-use plastics quite a bit. That’s because they are causing a massive problem for the environment, animals, and public health. The images, stories, and statistics piling up and the real world implications of a throwaway culture are clear. Turtles’, birds’, fish’s, and other sea dwelling creatures’ homes are being trashed, and animals are often killed and maimed by human waste.
It is past time for humans to collectively take responsibility and move more purposefully toward a sustainable and less needlessly wasteful way of life. This decision by McDonalds’ shareholders is disheartening, but it is likely not the end of the story. Advocates are ramping up pressure and seeing their efforts pay off. For example, in March McDonalds announced phasing-out plastic straws in its UK stores.
But for now, the world’s leading fast food restaurant chain has tabled the discussion of eliminating single-use plastic straws across the globe.
Shame on mc Donald’s
Recycle is the only and come up with a alternative to replace or make it easier to do something about this situation.I think it would be great for people and bessines to recycle.pay so much for straws.kids could get in on it very well by saving up there straws give them the opportunity to care about the planet and to save and make money in a good way and not like people now days would just about do anything to make a dollar.the kids and adults could benefit from this to by paying to recycle and change the way recycling is done in all kinds of ways.if there’s a will there’s a way to make things possible
McDonalds’ record with the environment and food animals is deplorable.
In fact, factory farming, and the misery of billions of animals, can be directly traced to McDonalds and its need for cheap, mass-produced meat.
The fact that they didn’t even CONSIDER evaluating options is highly disappointing.
They have options. I have options too – no more McDonald’s visits!!!
Nothing surprises me about this scum company. Profit at all costs regardless of animal welfare, human obesity issues and their trade marked litter which is strewn throughout the highways and byways.
It’s time to develop a better system that’s easier on OUR one and ONLY planet. If OUR oceans ecosystem crashes, that’s 2/3rds of OUR planet’s oxygen production GONE. There’s no doubt that it is in critical condition. You address this problem effectively, as well as adding vegan options, and the public will reward you with large increases in your profits. Something you’re clearly interested in.
Stop using plastic straws, they are causing unnecessary damage to the environment, as I’m sure I don’t need to explain. Use wax coated cardboard ones instead
Take responsibility and make a difference!
Really? This can’t be that difficult and is the conscionable action to take. They should re-think! Paper straws should absolutely be used if a straw is needed! Past time to do the right thing!
Hello
I GREW UP WITH PAPER STRAWS AND THEY ARE WONDERFUL..AND U DON’T HAVE TO PUT A PLASTIC STICK FULL OF CHEMICALS BETWEEN YOUR LIPS ! GET WITH IT MCDONALDS AND WHILE YOU ARE AT IT QUIT KILLING ANIMALS AND START OFFER ING MVEGAN BURGERS
THANK YOU
Are they really that stupid or what, don’t they want to save the world? Yep I grew up with paper straws, there is too much plastic in the world, some of these big companies need to step up and start saving the world’s ocean and therefore saving the animals within. Maybe people would look at them differently. Hey guys think backwards a few generations. Plastic is no longer an option. Think outside the box.
Shame on Mac Donald !
PAPER STRAWS ARE ALL WE HAD FOR YEARS. THE ANSWER IS SOOOOO SIMPLE. A MONKEY COULD FIGURE THAT OUT. MAKES YOU WONDER WHO ARE THE GENUSES ON THE MCDONALDS BOARD. NOW I KNOW WHY I DON’T EVER EAT THERE!
Greedy shareholders>!!!? well GOD SEES EVERYTHING ?you will not get away with it!!!!?
I agree w/Ja, bring back PAPER straws. That’s what was used when I was growing up. How hard is this to figure out. I’m sure customers would have no problem with switching from plastic to paper
Why would they stop now, the plastic epidemic is so bad. I don’t understand why McDonald restaurants won’t do all they can to save our marine life.
Because their money grabbers? lasttime l went into one of their joints was about 1994. I hate joints like that?
Many businesses are now posting notices at their businesses informing customers that straws are provided only if requested in order to reduce the use of single use plastic — and to protect marine life. This is a step that could be taken right now and doesn’t need research. It would even cost the company less if they reduce the number of straws provided.
McDonald’s could easily do this.
Make it law, shareholders wont have a say then. All about money these days. They have an, “I’m okay Jack” attitude.
If McDonalds doesn’t care about the health of it’s customers – why would anyone think they would care about anything living – especially animals. I’m a vegan I never eat there – it’s stands for everything I hate about corporations.
Thats right ?????
I will never ever buy anything from them and will advise friends and family to never go there.
Good for you?? girlie xx
How disgusting. Animals are dying. Lidls in Spain have now said they will stop using plastic carrier bags by the end of this year even though they will lose lots and lots of money.
McDonalds needs to reconsider this. It’d make a huge difference.
Don’t be selfish ignorant a-holes McDonalds!
Well I will know which food outlet to avoid in future.
How dare they say, No to this animals are dying. This is an easy fix, paper straws.
Don’t go there.
Take paper straws and send them a message if you must go.
Shame in McDonald’s. I don’t shop there anywhere. Another reason not to.
Shameful.
No plastic straws or McDonald’s for me!
That does it for me.I’ll never again buy anything from McDonalds until they do away with plastic straws. There’s no reason they couldn’t use biodegradable paper straws like they had when I was a kid. They don’t do much as far as keeping their word. I work with an organization called Toxic Taters (Google us) and have been trying to get them to quit using so many and so much sprays on their potato fields. Where I live, there is the highest amount of cancers caused by what are sprayed on the potato fields found anywhere else in this state. The contamination of our wells with nitrogen is off the charts in many places, and many of the people living in areas near the potato fields are forced to buy their water. Live up to your word, McDonalds. You owe it to the people who frequent your restaurants and you owe it to the planet and those kids who haven’t been born yet to leave things better than they are now. Clean up your act or you’ll be losing a lot more customers in the future.Responsible people who are concerned with cleaning up the mess bug businesses like you have done will no longer support you.
McDonald’s has an ENORMOUS responsibility for their impacts on this planet! Collectively with ALL the franchises they have ALL over the WORLD-they are doing MUCH damage! NOT only due to the plastic pollution filing our water ways, killing turtles, birds and fish, etc. They are also NOT implementing humane animal welfare in regards to the chickens they get from suppliers-chickens that are the most abused “farmed” animals-they are crammed into battery cages with no space to spread their wings, some die and rot while the others step on them. They are stacked 8-10 feet high and cover each other with feces. They cannabilize each other, suffer from infections, organ failure and breath strong ammonia-the workers also suffer greatly in this filthy, disgusting environment. It is NO wonder that there are so many recalls and cases of salmonella, listeria and camphor bacteria!! TOO many people die from food borne illnesses and many more from antibiotic resistant illnesses too! 80% of our antibiotics go to “farmed” animals to keep them alive under such repulsive conditions!! Also animal agriculture is a MAJOR water, land and air polluter, and a MAJOR source of deforestation around the world! It is also a major contributor to climate change! SO the FACT that McDonald’s is SO callous and indifferent when they have been creating such negative consequences on the planet and also peoples health and animal well-being-EVERYONE SHOULD BOYCOTT THIS DISGUSTING, GROSS FAST CRAP REPUGNANT COMPANY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How uncaring can you be?! Since you are a big part of the problem, you should certainly take some responsibility..and realize that if there is no action taken now the problem will just continue to magnify and be harder to deal with in the future! If the U.K. can care, why can’t you!! 🙁
THIS KIND OF SHAREHOLDER POWER IS THE ROOT OF A LOT OF ILLS, THEY ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH PROFITS THAN WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE WORLD!
LFT, may we together sign a petition to this business, please?
Hi Joan, please follow this link for a petition–
https://actions.sumofus.org/a/mcdonalds-is-polluting-our-oceans
Right now there are several animal rights organizations that are petitioning McDonalds to implement better welfare for chickens. Subway, Duncan Donuts, Starbucks, Burger King and others have committed to doing so-BUT NOT McDonalds!!! I believe they think they are SO big that they are above doing the right thing and NO one can touch them! Join this movement with Vegan Out Reach, Compassion Over Killing and others. You can start a petition on Change. Org too
I do not go to McDonalds. Now a good reason not to ever go. Monies come before saving animals?♀️?????
McDonald’s you need to reconsider this. Animals are being maimed and killed by our waste daily. ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
IF companies were more CONCERNED ABOUT ENVIRONMENT,i am sure that their BUSINESS WOULD GO UP!!!!
HOW DID our daddies and grandaddies DRINK WITHOUT STRAWS????????
They used PAPER straws
I haven’t set foot inside a McDonald’s for years. I never did like their over inflated congratulatory manner, rude staff, grey burgers and poor hygiene practices. This is just another reason for me to keep telling people to avoid them.
There are many smaller business who do better food and have friendlier staff, who are making a stand against plastic, and they deserve our custom much more. People will foot with their feet.
Come on McDonald’s care more for animals and the earth. It seems like they are very hard to talk to about these issues from the problem with the way they let their chickens be treated to this. I don’t know what their problem is but maybe they should get their self’s educated on these issues and make better choices,or they might just see people not wanting to spend anymore of their money there.
Bought a few glass straws and carry one with me everywhere. A simple clean solution. They also sell steel straws. The glass ones you can get in different sizes and colors. A very simple solution. Like Whole Foods gives a 10 cent deduction if you bring a bag to carry home your purchases …places that use straws could do the same.
Please reconsider!
What? Profits might go down a bit? I don’t know how these people can sleep at night!
And I’m betting those same shareholders bitch and complain about garbage along the beach. But the hypocrites, again, look at the all mighty dollar. Pathetic!
Shame on you MacDonalds. One more reason to avoid your outlets.
What??????????????????
America is so wasteful and polluted it’s rivers and creeks.the ocean is so pumped it breaks anyone’s heart if you care about the earth.hope they can figure out a way to fix alot of problems