The Dogwood Alliance is an organization that “calls attention to both damaging practices and new solutions in sustainable forestry,” with an emphasis on the Southern forests. They have a new report out called “Greening Fast Food Packaging: A Roadmap to Best Practices,” (link opens PDF) which identifies the thought and action leaders, and identified areas for improvement. The report begins by pointing out the difference between “sustainable” and “unsustainable” forestry:
paper mills in this region [the South] are sourcing wood from the ditching, draining, clearcutting, and conversion of natural wetland forests to industrial pine plantations at great expense to local ecosystems and communities. Reduced biodiversity, degraded carbon sinks, and increased flooding in local communities is the price of packaging that ends up on the side of the road or in a trash can within minutes of leaving the restaurant.
(Dogwood also does not think highly of SFI vs. FSC certification.) The report identifies eight key indicators that should serve as measures for fast food industry sustainability:
  • embrace corporate leadership on sustainability
  • use full life cycle and supply chain approach
  • reduce overall packaging and increase efficiency
  • increase the use of recycled fiber
  • eliminate paper originating from controversial forestry practices
  • increase in-store recycling and recovery
  • eliminate toxic inks and labels
  • reduce carbon footprint
Which fast food chains are currently ahead of the pack when it comes to achieving these objectives? It turns out that, according to Dogwood, McDonald’s and Starbucks are the two fast food chains that have done the most to make their packaging more sustainable. A few specific items the report cites:
[A]s part of the Starbucks’ goal to ensure 100% of its cups are reusable or recyclable by 2015, the company brought together diverse stakeholders to find solutions to make hot beverage cups more broadly recyclable. Leaders like McDonald’s have found ways to reimagine and reconstruct basic paper-based components to reduce the amount of fiber used in the packaging product by incorporating design elements like fluting and corrugation to provide strength to packages made with lighter basis weight paper grades. In addition, small strategic nips and tucks to tray liners and napkins can significantly reduce fiber use as well. Starbucks, Tim Horton [sic] and Yum! Brands are working together with the food service packaging industry as part of the Recovered Paper Alliance to develop the necessary collection infrastructure, expand the end use markets for recovered fiber, educate consumers to increase recovery, and collaborate with government officials to ensure appropriate public policy.
The report concludes with a wide variety of strategies that the industry can implement—in the short, mid and long term—to address many of these issues, and maintain forward momentum.