One of the most well-known and sensitive questions about McDonald's is: are they responsible for the destruction of tropical forests to make way for cattle ranching? McDonald's say no. Many people say yes. So McDonald's sue them. Not so many people say yes anymore, but does this mean McDonald's aren't responsible?

They annually produce over a million tons of packaging, used for just a few minutes before being discarded. What environmental effect does the production and disposal of all this have? Is their record on recycling and recycled products as green as they make out? Are they responsible for litter on the streets, or is that the fault of the customer who drops it? Can any multinational company operating on McDonald's scale not contribute to global warming, ozone destruction, depletion of mineral resources and the destruction of natural habitats?

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McDonald's case
McDonald's QC's opening speech in the McLibel Trial
McFact Cards - detailed information about the business  
 
 
Defendants' case
Opening speech in the McLibel Trial
Defence on environment
Analysis of evidence heard in court  
 
 
McLibel judgement
The verdict on rainforests
The verdict on recycled paper
Defendants' analysis of the verdict

NB. See the McLibel pages for more on the trial, or the
daily transcripts for the evidence heard in court.  
 
 
McLibel witnesses
Complete list of witnesses

Rainforests
DF - S. Branford,researcher - DISPOSSESSION, DEFORESTATION (AMAZON)
DF - Jean Carriere, expert - DEFORESTATION (COSTA RICA)
DF - R. Cummins, researcher - LANDLESSNESS, DEFORESTATION (LATIN AM.)
DF - George Haneka, campaigner - BRAZILIAN SOYA, GERMANY
DF - Prof.Susanna Hecht - DISPOSSESSION, DEFORESTATION
DF - Peter Heller, film-maker - 'JUNGLEBURGER'
DF - G. Monbiot, researcher - DISPOSSESSION, DEFORESTATION (BRAZIL)
DF - Siegfried Pater, journalist - McD's GERMANY & BRAZIL
DF - Sergio Quintana, McD's supplier - BEEF EXPORTS (COSTA RICA)
DF - David Rose, journalist - RAINFOREST (COSTA RICA)
DF - Charles Secrett, Director, FOE - RAINFORESTS
DF - Douglas Shane, reasearcher - TROPICAL FORESTS, MULTINATIONALS
DF - Laura Waters, campaigner - MISLEADING PR, RAINFORESTS
DF - Fiona Watson, Survival Int. - INDIGENOUS PEOPLE (BRAZIL)
DF - Franz Wirtz, campaigner - BRAZILIAN SOYA, GERMANY

Recycling and Waste
DF - Paul Connett, incineration expert - DISCHARGES, DANGERS
DF - Theo Hopkins, forester - PULP PRODUCTION, FOREST DAMAGE
DF - Ann Link, researcher - PACKAGING, WASTE, RECYCLING
DF - Brian Lipsett, researcher - STYROFOAM, US CAMPAIGNS
DF - Colin McIntyre, residents rep. - LITTER
DF - Bryan Bateman, BPBIF - RECYCLING & PAPERMAKING
DF - David J. Kouchoukos, Perseco - POLYSTYRENE
PL - Robert L. Langert, McD's - PACKAGING
PL - T. Mallinson, "Forests Forever" Campaign - DEFORRESTATION
PL - Edward Oakley, McD's - POLYSTYRENE RECYCLING
PL - Paul Preston, McD's - LITTER & GENERAL
PL - Casper Van Erp, Perseco - PAPER
PL=Plaintiffs' (McDonald's), DF=Defence (Morris & Steel)  
 
 
press articles
Please see the Index of press cuttings for the most up-to-date press coverage.
Duke Takes Big Mac To Task In The Land Of French Fries Fast Food Giant Justifies Packaging Burger the environment (Michael Jackson visits McDonald's) Scotland on Sunday; 12 Jan 97
Sorted McGarbage Burned Soder om Soder; 20th March 96
McDonald's hit with fines and legal costs for polluting English waterway Reuters 24 July 1997
 
 
 
books and reports
Chlorine, Pollution and the Environment by the WEN Trust
Foodmiles - An Examination of the Cost of Food by Tim Lobstein
Chlorine, Pollution and the Parents of Tomorrow by Ann Link
Pesticides, Policies and People by Peter Beaumont
Beyond Beef by Jeremy Rifkin
Hoofprints On The Forest by Douglas R Shane
Zum Beispiel SOJA by Siegfried Pater / Boris Terpinc  
 
 
interviews
H. Lyman, former top US cattle rancher
Sue Branford, Brazil specialist
C. Secrett, Director, Friends of the Earth
Vandana Shiva, Indian ecologist
 
 
 
essays
Why KFC is an Ecological Issue (India) by Dr Vandana Shiva
The New Livestock Policy (India) by Dr Vandana Shiva
The New Repression by Dr Vandana Shiva  
 
 
debate
Try the McDonald's section of the McSpotlight Debating Room.  
 
 
McDonald's publications
McFact Cards - The Environment  
 
 
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