McDonald's @ Smithsonian

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Greetings from ActionNetwork,

 

The Air and Space Museum in Washington has signed a

contract for McDonald's Corp. to do its food service.

Urge the Smithsonian to stop this deal, and consider

food service part of its educational mission,

featuring

more healthful foods, and highlighting calorie and

nutrition information. Prevent the Smithsonian's image

from being tarnished by McDonald's.

 

You can take action on this alert either via email

(please see directions below) or via the web at:

http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/Smithsoniansaynotojunkfood2/iwb6e72h78xx55

 

 

Visit the web address below and tell your friends to

take action on this important campaign!

http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/Smithsoniansaynotojunkfood2/forward/iwb6e72h78\

xx55

 

 

We encourage you to take action by February 6, 2003

 

Tell the Smithsonian to Say No to McDonald's Junk Food

 

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Last August, the Smithsonian Institution's National

Air and Space Museum (the world's most-visited museum)

entered into a 10-year, $16 million contract with

McDonald's Corp. The museum's dining facility will

feature McDonal's foods, along with Donatos Pizzeria

and Boston Market products, (both brands owned by

McDonald's).

It is the first time a restaurant chain has been given

a Smithsonian contract -- a lucrative one that

McDonald's helped secure with a $5 million gift to the

museum. The McDonald's at the Air and Space Museum is

likely to be the busiest McDonald's in the United

States. Unfortunately, the Smithsonian has not set any

special guidelines regarding the nutritional value of

the foods that will be offered.

 

A typical Value Meal at McDonald's (Big Mac, with

medium fries and medium Coke) delivers about 1,200

calories and three-quarters of a day's quota of

saturated fat. That is exactly the type of diet that

the federal government's " Dietary Guidelines for

Americans " and " The Surgeon General's Report on

Nutrition and Health " have recommended against. That

diet increases the risks of obesity, heart disease,

diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and tooth

decay. It is inconsistent with the Smithsonian's

educational mission to offer meals that contribute

to major public health problems (and implicitly to

endorse the brand-name provider of those meals).

 

The Smithsonian should view its food-service

facilities

as a means of providing healthful options for its

patrons and as part of its educational mission. We

hope this Action Network letter will help persuade

Smithsonian officials to improve the Institution's

food-service plans for the Air and Space Museum, as

well as the other Smithsonian museums. The letter asks

for simple improvements, such as more-healthful frying

fats, more vegetarian options, more fruits and

vegetables, and calorie information on the menu

boards.

 

By way of background, the Center for Science in the

Public Interest (CSPI) advocates improved health

through better nutrition. CSPI is supported largely by

its 800,000 North American members/rs. We do

not accept funding from government or industry.

Founded

in 1971, CSPI spearheaded legislation to require

Nutrition Facts labels on food packages, publicized

the high fat and calorie content of theater popcorn

and Chinese-restaurant food, and stopped deceptive

advertising campaigns sponsored by McDonald's,

Campbell Soup, and many other companies.

 

There was a massive outpouring of concern about

Coca-Cola's use of " Harry Potter " to get kids drinking

more soft drinks.

 

Thank you for your commitment to safer food and better

nutrition.

 

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INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:

If you have access to a web browser, you can take

action on this alert by going to the following URL:

 

http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/Smithsoniansaynotojunkfood2/iwb6e72h78xx55

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA EMAIL:

Just choose the " reply to sender " option on your email

program, and edit the letter below as you wish. Do

not delete " -YOU MAY EDIT THE LETTER BELOW- " and " -END

OF LETTER- " . Please do not add your name and address

to your letter. Our system automatically does this

for you.

 

We STRONGLY encourage you to make edits directly to

our sample letter below, and put the alert talking

points into your own words. An individualized letter

is worth ten computer generated letters. Of course,

hundreds of unedited letters will still create a large

impact, so please reply even if you don't have time

to personalize the letter.

 

Your letter will be addressed and sent to: of the National Air and Space Museum Gen

(ret.) John R. Dailey Secretary of the Smithsonian

Lawrence Small

 

 

-------YOU MAY EDIT THE LETTER BELOW---------

 

I urge the Smithsonian to reconsider having McDonald's

provide the food service at the National Air and Space

Museum. The Smithsonian should find a more appropriate

food-service company.

 

The Smithsonian is the government's premier

educational

institution, capably fulfilling the directive of James

Smithson to provide " for the increase and diffusion

of knowledge " in the United States. Each year, the

Institution entertains and educates millions of

visitors to its 16 museums and galleries, with the

National Air and Space Museum alone receiving more

than nine million visitors.

 

I am deeply troubled by the National Air and Space

Museum's decision to contract with McDonald's Corp.

(which also owns Boston Market and Donatos Pizzeria)

to provide food service. Though that company does

offer

a few healthful foods -- such as salads and Fruit 'n

Yogurt Parfait at McDonald's and skinless turkey

breast

and glazed carrots at Boston Market -- your visitors

will have to hunt hard for their choices amidst the

multitude of McDonald's meals, Donatos pizzas, and

Boston Market offerings that are heavy on the meat,

cheese, hydrogenated shortening, and refined grains.

 

 

Those foods are high in calories, fat, saturated and

trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, and refined sugars.

That diet increases the risks of obesity, heart

disease, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and

tooth decay. It is inconsistent with the Smithsonian's

educational mission to offer meals that contribute to

major public health problems (and implicitly to

endorse the brand-name provider of those meals).

 

Whether McDonald's or another company ultimately

provides the food, we urge that the Smithsonian

integrate all of its food-service facilities into its

educational mission by adopting such measures as the

following:

 

* Menu boards should display the calorie content of

each item.

* Patrons should be encouraged to include healthful

beverages with meal combinations (e.g., Value Meals,

" Happy Meals " ).

* Meatless low-fat burgers should be offered.

* Fresh fruit, fruit salads, and vegetable dishes

should comprise a substantial part of the menu.

* Fried foods should be cooked in liquid vegetable

oil, not partially hydrogenated shortening.

* Pizza offerings should include varieties that

contain

half or less the normal amount of cheese and that use

low-fat cheese.

 

More broadly, information on menu boards and elsewhere

should actively encourage patrons to choose the more

healthful meal options.

 

I hope you will change the policies of the

Smithsonian's food services so that it reflects the

Institution's educational mission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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