Probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think McDonald’s is vegetables, but after all, those greasy French fries you’re eating started off as fresh potatoes and McDonald’s has announced plans to reduce pesticide use in its American potato suppliers:

McDonald’s has committed to survey its current U.S. potato suppliers; compile a list of best practices in pesticide reduction that will be recommended to the company’s global suppliers; and communicate findings related to best practices to shareholders, and in the company’s annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) report.

Bard College student Katherine Burstein, a member of the college’s Committee on Investor Responsibility, said: "Through our work with the Responsible Endowments Coalition--which works on responsible investment issues with colleges and universities across the nation--we learned about the measures companies can take to reduce the undesirable effects of pesticide use, and decided to engage McDonald's on the issue.”

McDonald's said in a statement that its U.S. potato suppliers are already working with their growers to "advance sustainable pesticide practices, such as reductions and alternative methods."

Environmental advocates are hailing the effort, saying it will benefit the health of consumers, farm workers and local agricultural communities. The very same people McDonald’s horrible food is slamming with heart disease, obesity, stroke and diabetes.

Okay, pesticides are bad, but McDonald’s has bigger problems, like why their burgers don’t decompose. If you leave a McDonald’s hamburger in your jacket pocket and then check on it a year later, it’ll look exactly the same. No worse for ware.

Via SustainableBusiness News.