Month: September 2010

People living in the 21^st century want to have a more sustainable environment.  “Going green” is an effective way to attract new consumers and not loose any old consumers at the same time. 

McDonald’s is trying to be more environmental friendly as a new “selling point”.  Recently, the restaurant has added more healthy food, such as many salads, or products with vegetables or fruit into the menu.  Also, it has used a new fryer called “The Low Oil Volume Fryer.  The fryer allows restaurants to cook the same amount of product while using approximately 40% less oil; the machine also reduced packaging waste for markets using “jug-inbox” oil delivery.  

Most importantly, it has changed its traditional red colour for its sign to a deep green colour in German, Britain and France McDonald’s restaurants. 

“Going green” might only be a manage skill to attract more customers for many of the companies.  However, it is important to reduce any impact to our environment despite the reasons behind it.  McDonald’s is a very good example on how to improve their public images and become more environmental friendly.  This would not only benefit the company but everyone and the future generations as well. 

“McDonald’s rolling out green logo in Europe”
Associated Press, November 23, 2009
< http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34111784/>

Picture from
<http://www.carycitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/GreenMD.JPG>

Louise Kissa. “Marking Garments for a Fair Pay.”
 New Europe 25 Oct. 2009
<http://www.neurope.eu/articles/-Making-garments-for-a-fair-pay/97045.php>

Sweatshop workers work for long hours under bad working condition for little pay.  The author of the article, Louise Kissa, criticizes the employers including big enterprise like Wal-Mart for treating the labours badly.  Labour force working in a sweatshop is definitely a social problem that is affecting our economy deeply. 
Our economy growth depends on money circulation.  When workers have a low paying job, they could not buy highly priced necessities.  This means that Producers would have to lay off some workers to compensate lower income due to decreased demand.  As a result, high unemployment rate would occur. 
Furthermore, this article has also pointed out that some NGOs try to help the sweatshop labours by proposing a better working condition and a higher pay.  Government could raise the minimum wage law and set up social programs providing language classes, and practical training for sweatshop workers to “upgrade” themselves.  People should pay more attention to this problem. One day, if one walks into a store, please do not just look at the price tag, but also look at where the produce is made.  One should decide if one wants to encourage inhumane employers to hire sweatshop workers by buying their products.

Picture from
< http://www.globalenvision.org/files/sweatshop.jpg>