McDonald’s Canada Turns Straws Into Art To Save The Planet

McDonald’s Canada recently too the curtain off a new series of original works of art commissioned from a cross-country group of Canadian and Indigenous artists who are using trays made with upcycled McDonald’s plastic straws as a canvas to display their artwork. In total, 15 artists participated in the program and have created custom designs that reflect the artists’ diverse perspectives on sustainability and the environment.
This new initiative is part of McDonald’s transition from using paper straws from plastic straws, alongside the removal of other single-use plastics, namely plastic cutlery and stir sticks.

“In the spirit of reducing waste being sent to landfill, we challenged ourselves to find an inventive and out-of-the-box way to give some of these plastic straws a ‘second act.’ Thanks to these artists, they can live on as something beautiful,” said Gemma Pryor, Senior Director – Canada Impact Team, McDonald’s Canada. “Removing single-use plastic straws from restaurants is just one of the initiatives McDonald’s Canada has undertaken. From reducing napkin size by twenty per cent in 2019, to trialing an electric vehicle as part of the supply chain distribution fleet earlier this year, we’re continuing to explore opportunities to make important changes in the Canadian system.”

To ensure there was no waste, McDonald’s found a way to give life to the remaining inventory of straws while working with The Rogerie who helped transform these plastic straws into a limited number of trays which have become a canvas for displaying art from Canadian and Indigenous artists.  The individually designed, limited edition trays will be donated to local Ronald McDonald House Charities Houses across Canada. Houses may keep the tray on display for the families to enjoy, or they may choose to auction off the tray for fundraising purposes.  

Agencies behind McDonald’s Canada Arts Series Initiative

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Dave Forde

Dave “The Connector” Forde is a 20-year veteran of the Canadian marketing, PR, and tech industries. He is the founder of The Connected One network, including industry news sites Profectio and PR In Canada, and serves as a strategic business advisor. Connect with him on LinkedIn and X.

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