NationStates Jolt Archive

I proposed this in another thread and no one noticed, but I think it's because it was buried so I'll make it its own thread. I'm one of those who'd be conflicted if it happened and even I think it's cool.

I'm going to presume that everyone here knows about biodiesel and vegetable oil as fuel, but if you don't here (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGGL,GGGL:2005-09,GGGL:en&q=vegetable+oil+fuel) is a crank load of websites on the process.

So here's the deal: McDonalds owns its own truck fleet and they deliver to resturaunts that produce a lot of used vegetable oil, vegetable oil that they have to get rid of. What if, instead, they converted their fleet to run on the oil they produce. Practically it would probably be better to take the oil back and convert it to biodiesel rather than convert the fleet itself to the rather goopy straight oil that is really the realm of the dedicated hippie.

There would be crazy net gains-
1. Saved money on disposal.
2. Saved money on diesel fuel.
3. Cleaner trucks and the PR boost that it would entail.
4. Hippies short circuiting as they would now be forced to praise McDs. Imagine them vibrating gently in their Birkenstocks. That alone would be worth it. And I'm one of them.

Save money, make themselves look good, get hippies off their back at least for a second. Win win win.

I can't see why they wouldn't.

Hippies?

Aren't they a tad too old and small in numbers these days?

Didn't you know? They congeal the vegetable oil and add whiteners to make their chicken meat.

interesting idea. I think it would be hilarious, since most of the "hippie" type people I know hate McDonalds for "killing countless innocent animals, for their happy meals, and indoctrinating the youth of America into a carnivorious lifestyle" yeah that's almost word for word.

Hippies?

Aren't they a tad too old and small in numbers these days?
hehe, well yeah. I was using it in the same achronistic way the bogeyman of 'commies' is used.

I can't see why they wouldn't.
Because:
a) In a big old boys club like this, proposing environmentally friendly things outside the marketing department makes people think you're queer.

b) It's too much work. McDonald's can hardly be bothered to change in any major way (and no, putting artificial vegetables on the menu does not constitute change).

c) It may not immediately pay, and CEOs these days are not exactly known for their sustainable policies. It's all shareholder profit...NOW!!!

That's an insane amount of infrastructure to construct, though.

A plant to process a volume of used oil sufficient to run all of McDonalds trucks would cost tens of millions of dollars. As of now, McDonalds thinks it's probably not worth the effort.

interesting idea. I think it would be hilarious, since most of the "hippie" type people I know hate McDonalds for "killing countless innocent animals, for their happy meals, and indoctrinating the youth of America into a carnivorious lifestyle" yeah that's almost word for word.
Imagine them standing there opening and closing their mouths like gold fish trying to wrap thier brains around what's happening. I imagine the people in my town would end up walking in circles, lost and confused (I live in Santa Cruz, the only people who go to the McDonalds are freshmen and tourists)

Hippies?

Aren't they a tad too old and small in numbers these days?

I heard they merged with the world wide jewish banking conspiracy.

That's an insane amount of infrastructure to construct, though.

A plant to process a volume of used oil sufficient to run all of McDonalds trucks would cost tens of millions of dollars. As of now, McDonalds thinks it's probably not worth the effort.
There's guys in barns doing it for $ .50 a gallon, certainly a large corporation can get close.

Didn't you know? They congeal the vegetable oil and add whiteners to make their chicken meat.
No, they congeal the vegetable oil and add whiteners then sell it to the people who sold us those frozen "chicken" patties I had for dinner the other week.

There's guys in barns doing it for $ .50 a gallon, certainly a large corporation can get close.
But that's relatively small quantities. To construct a factory to refine enough vegetable oil to run all their trucks would cost more money than McDonalds would probably be willing to spend

No, they congeal the vegetable oil and add whiteners then sell it to the people who sold us those frozen "chicken" patties I had for dinner the other week.
That too.

That too.
No, the dry, hard parts in chicken are a feast compared to those "chicken" patties, with their fake grill marks like those add flavor or authenticity or some bs.

But that's relatively small quantities. To construct a factory to refine enough vegetable oil to run all their trucks would cost more money than McDonalds would probably be willing to spend
They have to make a relatively simple process (one done in a barn) in larger volumnes which traditionally lowers the price of making anything. Take into account the savings over just a year on paying for diesel fuel at @2.50-3.00 a gallon and they've made thier money back pretty quick.

Alternatively they could convert the trucks one by one to run on straight vegetable oil, defering the costs over time and removing the need for a central processing.

Didn't you know? They congeal the vegetable oil and add whiteners to make their chicken meat.

Yes, just whiteners...

Perhaps McDonalds could become a combination fast-food chain and alternative fuels producer...that would be interesting.

Perhaps McDonalds could become a combination fast-food chain and alternative fuels producer...that would be interesting.

..Too odd for me. I'd be afraid of them confusing my Chocolate Milkshake for Unleaded Premium*.

*yes, I do know this is biodiesel. The jok just didn't sound right.

..Too odd for me. I'd be afraid of them confusing my Chocolate Milkshake for Unleaded Premium*.

*yes, I do know this is biodiesel. The jok just didn't sound right.
Fuel hoses next to the menus and pick up windows, fuelling up while you wait for your crap ass food. (see? I'd be one of the conflicted...)

..Too odd for me. I'd be afraid of them confusing my Chocolate Milkshake for Unleaded Premium*.

*yes, I do know this is biodiesel. The jok just didn't sound right.

Yeah, you just know that the same people will be both working the grill and the biodiesel station...and they're going to be like 16 or something.

Yeah, you just know that the same people will be both working the grill and the biodiesel station...and they're going to be like 16 or something.

"Yah wont fries with your oil?"

one interesting question no ones asked yet is what mcdonalds currently does with their used vegetbble oil....if someone knew thatd be awesome, as i doubt they just throw it away(they go through quite abit)

one interesting question no ones asked yet is what mcdonalds currently does with their used vegetbble oil....if someone knew thatd be awesome, as i doubt they just throw it away(they go through quite abit)
Most of the resturants here have to pay for the oil to be desposed of, which is how the people here who have vegetable oil cars get theirs, they offer to take it off the resturants hands for free and the resturants are more than happy to oblige. Now, I don't know if this is true of McDonalds, but a lot of sites on VO cars make specific reference to getting thier oil from McDonalds.

Most of the resturants here have to pay for the oil to be desposed of, which is how the people here who have vegetable oil cars get theirs, they offer to take it off the resturants hands for free and the resturants are more than happy to oblige. Now, I don't know if this is true of McDonalds, but a lot of sites on VO cars make specific reference to getting thier oil from McDonalds.
thats kinda funny, because if people are taking it off their hands for free, and using it as an alternative fuel, then they wouldnt actually be increasing the overall amount of alternatives used, simply lowering the amount others use them while increasing their own (if they normally gave it all away that is). although it would still be a question of the PR value, what would be more important is the cost effectiveness

thats kinda funny, because if people are taking it off their hands for free, and using it as an alternative fuel, then they wouldnt actually be increasing the overall amount of alternatives used, simply lowering the amount others use them while increasing their own (if they normally gave it all away that is). although it would still be a question of the PR value, what would be more important is the cost effectiveness
This presumes that all McDonalds have all their oil being shuttled off by hippies with VO engines. That's not even true here, where we have a high concentration of alternative fuel vehicles.

My guess is that no one has gone to them with a serious cost-benefit analysis with the good pr factor built in to the discussion. If they could make it profitable, they'd be all over it, because if there's one thing McDonalds has shown itself to be concerned with over the years, it's public image, and if they can make themselves look better, they'll do it, especially if it pays.

My guess is that no one has gone to them with a serious cost-benefit analysis with the good pr factor built in to the discussion. If they could make it profitable, they'd be all over it, because if there's one thing McDonalds has shown itself to be concerned with over the years, it's public image, and if they can make themselves look better, they'll do it, especially if it pays.
I wish I had any idea how to do that kind of thing.

But then, I would have already done one of those to Hostess to let their shareholders know how much money they'd make if pot was legal...shit'd be legal tommorrow...

By the way...I know a few people here who buy used vegetable oil from Fish & Chips stores and so on and use it to power their diesel cars.
Even normal diesel engines can take it (although it's not good for them). If they wanted to, it could work today.

No way, that's too sensible for any modern corporation to take on board. ;)

I wish I had any idea how to do that kind of thing.

But then, I would have already done one of those to Hostess to let their shareholders know how much money they'd make if pot was legal...shit'd be legal tommorrow...
You know, it just occurred to me that Willie Nelson has set up a biodiesel company, with a handful of stations somewhere in the middle of the country. I read an article on it just recently. I wonder what would happen if a major company like a McDonalds went into a limited production arrangement with them.

4. Hippies short circuiting as they would now be forced to praise McDs. Imagine them vibrating gently in their Birkenstocks. That alone would be worth it. And I'm one of them.
ah come on man there's loads more bad stuff mcd's get up to than just dumping millions of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year from their freight and massively extensive food miles...

...but it couldn't hurt. in fact, it would be good. but they're still just as evil as ever ;)

*rallies the hippies for a love-in* ;)

You know, it just occurred to me that Willie Nelson has set up a biodiesel company, with a handful of stations somewhere in the middle of the country. I read an article on it just recently. I wonder what would happen if a major company like a McDonalds went into a limited production arrangement with them.
Willie Nelson singing "You deserve a break today," weird...

It would be interesting. Though I think that Willie's involvment in BioWillie is primarily to boost American farmers and as such has an interest in the 'source' for BioWillie would the preferably for his cause come from crops. But they certainly could help each other, especially since Willie already has the beginings of the infrastructure needed to get the ball rolling.

one interesting question no ones asked yet is what mcdonalds currently does with their used vegetbble oil....if someone knew thatd be awesome, as i doubt they just throw it away(they go through quite abit)

Interestingly enough, for the last few years in Rio de Janeiro, the McDonalds restaurants have been donating it to biodiesel tests.

Interestingly enough, for the last few years in Rio de Janeiro, the McDonalds restaurants have been donating it to biodiesel tests.
Yeah? That's pretty cool. I'm gonna look that up.

That didn't take long at all, I just had to add "Rio de Janeiro" to the search "McDonalds BioDiesel"
First site (http://www.tierramerica.net/2002/0127/iacentos.shtml)


Using Vegetable Oil to Propel Cars

By Mario Osava*

In their search for a more eco-friendly fuel, Brazilian researchers are exploring the potential of biodiesel, which utilizes inputs like used vegetable oil from fast-food restaurants. The formula would reduce the emission of gases that cause the greenhouse effect.

RIO DE JANEIRO - The oil used in the preparation of the McDonald’s restaurant chain’s fried potatoes is one of the ingredients in a new fuel being developed in Brazil to replace gasoline in cars.

Beginning in February 10 vehicles will be circulating in Rio de Janeiro, running on a fuel that contains five percent vegetable oils in a diesel mixture.

One strange facet of the project - and another advantage - is that it also takes advantage of used oils. The IVIG research and the 10 first test vehicles utilize inputs provided by the U.S.-based fast-food restaurant chain, McDonald’s.

For the next two years the project will receive a monthly donation of at least 25,000 liters of vegetable oil used in frying potatoes at the 40 McDonald’s restaurants in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area.

I hope good things, such as thier fleet running on bio comes from this. Though I seem to remember some things McDonalds was supposed to be doing in Brazil that where less than great...but there's that short circuit I was going for...

...but there's that short circuit I was going for...

Where is the short-circuit? 'McDonalds are slightly less evil than previously believed' is not so hard a concept to grasp.

Where is the short-circuit? 'McDonalds are slightly less evil than previously believed' is not so hard a concept to grasp.
Clearly not that familiar with the all or nothing nature of hippie hate, or that I'm more or less kidding about that part because I think it's funny.