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BANG FOR THE BITE
If 10,000 Biters take one fewer napkin at fast-food restaurants, in a year we'll conserve the total annual paper use of 25 Americans.
COCKTAIL FACT
The Iowa 80 (the world's largest truck stop) is 1.5 times the size of Disneyland, at 220 acres.
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home › tip library › Fast-food
Need to fuel your stomach, but don't have time for a long pit stop?
The Bite
Make it fast, and keep on truckin'. When you're on the road, fast-food restaurants aren't usually the greenest or healthiest option - but no matter where you stop, you can make your meal a little bit better for you and the planet.The Benefits
- A tidier big rig. Take just what you need; how many of the 11 billion Heinz ketchup packets sold annually are just collecting dust in your glove box?
- Three honks for less gas use. American drivers use more than 2 billion gallons of fuel each year while idling (in drive-throughs and otherwise) - and idling creates twice the emissions of a car in motion.
- Truck-stopping global warming. Some major fast-food chains are switching to wind power for their energy, use only sustainable wood for stores, and incorporate organic ingredients.
Personally Speaking
At LAX on business, a starving Heather caved and went to McDonald's for fries (sans big bag and ketchup) for the first time in at least five years...and she has to admit they were better than she remembered.Wanna Try?
- Go inside. Your legs will get a stretch, and you'll use less fuel than driving-through. It's often faster too.
- Order "for here," even if you're taking out to avoid the bag and excess napkins.
- Grab just what you need. How much mustard do you want on your burger, anyway?
- Au Bon Pain, Chipotle, and Starbucks - better options when you're on the go, featuring some local and/or organic ingredients, recycled paper products, and more.
Jun 11,2008
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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
Let’s Hear it for McDonald’s
It's the day of the fast-food tip, and I've been waiting for weeks to share this little nugget of a commercial with you all.
Having a bunch of Lower East Side kids promote McDonald's and talking about how the world is changing with relation to a breaded-chicken breakfast biscuit (Hanah's dubbed it the McWorldischangingwich) isn't exactly greenwashing, but it is something.
Being somewhat of a fast-food connoisseur, I had to try it for myself. My world didn't change, but as I bit into the sandwich I did get a flashback to the lunch-line in high school. I swear my school district slipped McD's its recipe.
-Toshio...off to hear it for nonconformity...
Biter Comments...
I cannot believe my eyes. I'm unsubscribing today in protest to your fast food tip and lack of confidence in your perception of what "green" really means.
Do we really need to tell you that supporting fast food in any way is poor green choice? Or mention the deforestation of old growth and rainforests for the beef? Or the great steroided & antibiotic saturated life chickens have? Or all the packaging waste? How about the healthfulness of the food and that fabulous breaded chicken patty that millions of kids eat everyday?
I'm disappointed that this tip made it into my inbox, and that the ideal bite thinks this is a green recommendation.
Why don't we all just mail you our old ketchup packets instead?
If you are in Oregon, check out Burgerville. They source their food locally and more. Burgerville is the only fast food we will eat.
http://www.burgerville.com/
Hi,
In speaking of green advertising,
thought this film might be of interest to you. Its a short documentary about a technique called "reverse graffiti" or "clean tagging". The artist, "Moose" is the pioneer of this technique and uses natural methods and natural cleaners of Green Works to create a large scale mural in San Francisco by cleaning pollution and dirt from the walls of the Broadway Tunnel. The film was directed by acclaimed documentarian Doug Pray who recently directed the full length film "Surfwise". Please take a look and if you like it post it on your blog. You can see the film at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lX-2sP0JFw or the film and additional content at http://reversegraffitiproject.com/
Thanks for your time. Please feel free to email me with questions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lX-2sP0JFw
http://reversegraffitiproject.com/
I don't share in Melanie's "unsubscribe" motion but the title did surprise me coming from this site. Then I think we have to stop and remember that Ideal Bite isn't about being 100% green or doing anything perfect. It's about doing our best and sometimes we go to McDonalds and some us drive an SUV. Oh, no!!! The world won't come to an end today because of this. Tomorrow or even in the next hour, do better.
I wouldn't really say this is ideal bite standard tip but it makes me think of green washing and that in itself is worth it. If everyone can not react and just unsubscribe, silly.
Forget Mickey D.'s, KFC, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Burger King, and all those other fat, calorie, sodium, cholesterol-laden, artery-clogging fast-food joints in the first place and just go to Subway instead. I get Subway 2-4 times a month as a treat. Sure beats the HECK out of any greasy burger!
REALLY disappointed with the quality of information lately. Check out smart2begreen.com or treehugger.com for better tips, sorry Idealbite your game is slipping
If you have issues with the way fast food is packaged, you should check out http://nofreerefills.org. The folks at Dogwood Alliance are doing a lot to educate the public and hold corporations accountable to their use of the Southern Forests.
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: Melanie | June 11, 2008 at 08:25 AM