Our Southern Forests Pay the High Price for Big Gulps
- Topics:
- Forests
Monday, May 5th, 2008, 9:34 AM
When we think about the environmental impact of our fast food habit, we tend to think about rainforest destruction in far-off places: the loss of the Amazon, palm oil plantations in Indonesia.
Well, it turns out we don’t have to look too far. Forests in the southern parts of the United States are also being decimated to service our fast food addiction. Clearcut forests in our country’s south are supplying 60 percent of the nation’s paper demands and 15 percent of global demand, according to a recent study.
And it’s the paper demands of our fast food chains – think napkins, cups, wrappers – that have been among the biggest drivers of this loss. Thanks in large part to Big Gulps, Big Macs, Whoppers, and Chalupas, nearly half of the forested acres in the south have been decimated in the past several hundred years, from 356 million acres to 182 million acres today.
A new campaign by the Dogwood Alliance NoFreeRefills.org is targeting fast food chains to demand they reduce their impact on the environment.
We can do our part, too. Here are some tips for ways we can help decrease demand on our precious forests:
1. Use a travel mug or stainless steel water bottle rather than using disposable cups
2. Bringing your own bags to the grocery store or farmers market. You’ll save trees and carbon.
3. When you eat out, bring your own containers to carry leftovers home in. To-go-ware makes a nice stainless steel product.
