On the menu for McDonald's: cutting greenhouse gas emissions

McDonald's announces a number of steps to cut its greenhouse gases emissions, including changing the way it produces the beef for Big Macs and Quarter Pounders.

The world's largest burger chain said it expects the changes to prevent 150 million metric tonnes (165 million tons) of greenhouse gas emissions from being released into the atmosphere by 2030.
AP

The world's largest burger chain said it expects the changes to prevent 150 million metric tonnes (165 million tons) of greenhouse gas emissions from being released into the atmosphere by 2030.

The company behind the golden arches wants to get greener.

McDonald's on Tuesday announced a number of steps it would take to cut the greenhouse gases it emits into the air, including tweaking the way the beef in its Big Macs and Quarter Pounders is produced.

The world's largest burger chain said it expects the changes to prevent 150 million metric tonnes (165 million tons) of greenhouse gas emissions from being released into the atmosphere by 2030, the equivalent of taking 32 million cars off the road for a year.

Several food and beverage companies have announced changes recently to appeal to customers concerned about the environment. 

Dunkin' Donuts said it would phase out foam coffee cups by 2020. 

And soda maker Coca-Cola announced plans to recycle a bottle or can for every beverage it sells by 2030.

McDonald's said beef production, restaurant energy use and packaging accounted for more than 60 percent of its emissions, and would focus on making changes in those areas first.

It would work with beef suppliers to reduce carbon emissions at cattle farms and ask franchisees to replace light bulbs and kitchen appliances in its restaurants with more energy-efficient ones. 

McDonald's is also in the process of using more environmentally friendly materials for its soda cups, Happy Meal boxes and burger wrappers, a shift it first announced last month.

The Illinois-based company declined to say how much it would spend to make the changes.

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