[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 17, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1810]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




McDONALD'S CORPORATION--EPA WASTE WISE PARTNER OF THE YEAR, OCTOBER 17, 
                                  2000

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JUDY BIGGERT

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 17, 2000

  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the McDonald's 
Corporation for its exemplary leadership in environmental conservation. 
McDonald's has been a pioneer in a range of efforts to conserve energy, 
protect natural resources, and reduce solid waste.
  In the past, the Corporation has been honored for its conservation 
work by major environmental organizations, including the Council on 
Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As 
a result of its comprehensive waste reduction program, McDonald's has 
received further recognition for its efforts in this area by recently 
receiving the EPA's prestigious Waste Wise Partner of the Year award.
  In 1989, McDonald's partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund 
(EDF) to develop a comprehensive action plan for reducing waste. This 
cooperative project laid the foundation for a new approach to solving 
environmental problems. It served as a model for additional EDF 
alliances with leading U.S. businesses and also as a catalyst for other 
corporate/environmental organization partnerships.
  The following year, McDonald's established one of the first corporate 
``buy recycle'' programs. The Company also initiated an ongoing series 
of environmentally friendly changes in packaging design that continues 
to this day. In 1992, McDonald's enrolled in EPA's Green Lights program 
to institutionalize the use of energy efficient lighting and, in 1994, 
became the very first partner in the EPA WasteWise program.
  The impact of these commitments and partnerships has been 
extraordinary. During the course of the 1900's, McDonald's: Eliminated 
297 million pounds of packaging; Recycled 2 billion pounds of 
corrugated cardboard, thus reducing restaurant waste by 30 percent; 
Purchased over $3 billion worth of products made from recycled 
materials--over 300,000 tons in 1999 alone; and Saved over 510 million 
kilowatt hours, the equivalent of all the energy used by 14,500 homes 
over ten years.
  These impressive numbers do not tell the whole story. By entering 
into these partnerships, McDonald's is proving that commitment to the 
environment and core business interests can go hand in hand. In so 
doing, they are helping to bring about a new environmental ethic and, 
in a broader sense, the growth of corporate social responsibility.
  The Waste Wise award is an appropriate recognition for such 
leadership and for McDonald's sustained, effective commitment to making 
the world a better place. I congratulate the McDonald's corporation and 
its employees for this outstanding achievement.

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