1. What does MSC certified mean? Give some examples of MSC certified products.

Have you
ever noticed any MSC certified products before?
MSC, or the Marine Steward Council, has a blue certification label placed on fish produce that
ensures that it was caught sustainably in the wild. The three assessments for sustainability are
the stocks of fish in the ocean, the environmental impact of the fishing, and the effectiveness
of the fishery management. An example is the South Australia Lakes and Coorong pipi fishery,
which as MSC certified back in 2008. I have never noticed an MSC certified product before.
https://www.msc.org/standards-and-certification
https://fisheries.msc.org/en/fisheries/
2. What does FSC certified mean? Give some examples of FSC certified products. Have you
ever noticed any FSC certified products before?
FSC, or the Forest Stewardship Council, has a label that insures that wood products have been
obtained sustainably. The types of labels include FSC 100%, which means that the wood comes
from FSC certified forests; FSC Recycled, which means that the product came from recycled
wood or paper; and FSC Mixed, which means that part of the product is recycled or comes from
an FSC certified forest. An example would be the American Eagle Paper Mills’ Eagle Offset 100,
which is completely FSC Recycled. I have never noticed an FSC certified product before.
https://ic.fsc.org
https://us.fsc.org/en-us/market/paper-printing
3. How has Max Hamburger dealt with the unsustainable nature of beef production? Is their
beef more sustainable? How?
Max Hamburger has dealt with the unsustainability of beef production by reducing the amount
of beef in their patties to 82% and offsetting the carbon emissions with reforestation projects in
Africa, as well as supporting other offsetting projects. Although his methods beef production is
not completely sustainable, it’s much more sustainable than 100% beef patties, as the small
amounts of beef not used quickly adds up.
4. Explain, in your own words, how Max Hamburgers has met (or has not met) each of the 4
care principles of the Natural Step. Do you think that Max Hamburger’s methods for
meeting the 4 care instructions are sustainable?
The four sustainability principles of the Natural Step are eliminating our contributions to the
systematic increase of concentrations of substances extracted from earth’s crust, the
systematic increase of concentrations of substances produced by society, the systematic
degradation of natural capital, and conditions that systematically threaten people’s capacity to
meet their basic human needs. Max Hamburger has met each care principle by using low
carbon vehicles and wind power for all restaurants, high recycling rates and the conversion of
fry oil into biodiesel, using MSC and FSC certified products, creating healthy products
(compared to other fast food products), and hiring staff members with mental disabilities. I
believe that their methods for meeting the principles are sustainable, as they reduce their
ecological footprint by using renewable resources, reducing waste, using more
environmentally friendly products, and using many other sustainable methods, all while giving
back to the environment with reforestation projects.
5. Do you think that seeing the carbon dioxide emitted or the amount of energy used to make
a hamburger at the point of purchase would change your choices when you go to a
restaurant?
I think that seeing the carbon dioxide emission for each hamburger would persuade me to
choose a burger that has a smaller ecological footprint than another, but it might not prioritize
over cravings all of the time; it could definitely be a tie-breaker.
6. Max Hamburger is based in Sweden. Do you think that their practices would work if
imported to the United States and applied to fast food chains?
I think that Max Hamburger’s practices could work in cities and more liberal areas with a larger
population of people who are concerned about the environment. Even if it was more expensive,
I think many people would be willing to support a company trying to reduce their ecological
footprint. However, it might not take off quickly, because many people have the mentality that
one small change make a big difference.