“KFC is as committed to the environment as we are to our food and to our customers. We are proud of the steps we have taken so far to reduce our environmental footprint and are committed as a brand to do even more in the future.” – kfc.com/packaging

The above quote is from Kentucky Fried Chicken’s own website. KFC talks a lot about environmental responsibility, heritage and community, and we agree with these values. Yet its actions are not consistent with its rhetoric.

KFC’s packaging is directly contributing to the destruction of our Southern forests. While other leading fast food companies are working hard to adopt sustainable packaging policies, KFC continues to make its famous buckets from trees that were “harvested” from endangered forests across the South, including The Green Swamp – a unique, irreplaceable forest in Brunswick County, North Carolina.

FORESTS ARE OUR HERITAGE

The Green Swamp is one of the jewels of The South. Ever since the Waccamaw Siouan Indian tribes fished its waters, generations upon generations of North Carolinians have enjoyed the beauty and tranquility of the Green Swamp. It was a vital resource for hunting, fishing and sustainable forestry since long before The Colonel perfected his secret recipe, and it is used for hiking, fishing and hunting to the present day. But that heritage is now under threat.

THE GREEN SWAMP IS CONSIDERED UNIQUE

Every forest that KFC gets its paper from is home to a unique mix of species, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. The Green Swamp, for example, is prized by conservationists for its unusually rich diversity. It features huge stretches of open water and wet areas. It contains some of the country’s finest examples of longleaf pine savannas. And it is also one of the only places in the world where you can see the meat-eating venus flytrap in the wild.

Does it make sense to throw all that away, just so KFC can save pennies on its packaging?

THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES

It doesn’t have to be that way. Many of KFC’s competitors have made great strides toward sustainable packaging – incorporating recycled paper wraps and containers, and purchasing virgin paper from sustainable, well-managed forests. And they are creating innovative new industries and well-paying jobs in the process.

These fast food companies are not alone. Across the business world, forward-thinking executives are realizing that destroying our natural resources and our common heritage just does not make sense.

THE COLONEL REFUSES TO LISTEN

But KFC is slow to catch on. Despite repeated attempts to engage KFC in discussions, we have been unable to get management to match their policies to the values that they claim to hold. Now we, as concerned citizens, are stepping up our campaign to protect a forest that has been cherished for generations. We expect KFC executives to take note.

Join us in holding KFC accountable for destroying our forests.

TAKE ACTION:

Email KFC
Download Materials
Tell a Friend

LEARN MORE:

KFC’s destruction of Southern Forests
What are the Sustainable Alternatives?