Burgerville, USA - Striving to Make Fast Food Green, Healthy, and Sustainable

Think fast food, and your not likely to conjure up images of green living, lower carbon emissions, and healthy eating. Unless, of course, you know about Burgerville, USA. The best fast food chain in America also happens to be the most committed to sustainability and nutrition.

When I lust for a good milkshake, my thoughts take me to wondering what seasonal treat Burgerville is offering. When I want a really good burger, I set my sights on the Pepper Bacon Tillamook Cheeseburger - hold the onions, of course. If my desire is for something new outside the realm of what is normally considered fast food, I sample a featured seasonal menu item.

As if the good food wasn't enough, Burgerville is the embodiment of what it means to be a sustainable and responsible business. Doing their level best to be very green while making a profit, Burgerville has laid the groundwork for other chains to follow, if enough public pressure is brought upon them.

From the Burgerville, USA website:

"If healthy, quick food seems like an oxymoron, you haven't been to Burgerville, a chain of 39 Pacific Northwest quick-service restaurants. Burgers here are made from pastured vegetarian-fed and antibiotic-free beef. The eggs on our breakfast biscuits are from cage-free hens that have never been treated with antibiotics. Salads offer mixed greens topped with smoked salmon and Oregon hazelnuts. Even desserts and sides rely on seasonal, local ingredients-blackberry milkshakes are only available in season, as are the hand-prepared buttermilk-battered onion rings made from Walla Walla sweet onions grown in Washington and Oregon."

Burgerville also purchases 100 percent of the electricity used from wind power farms either directly or through wind power offsets. They recycle their used canola oil into biodiesel and even use biodegradable cups for drinks and shakes. They have onsite compost and recycling programs, and keep tons of debris out of landfills.

If that weren't enough, they provide health care for all their hourly employees, paying almost all the premiums. Burgerville has managed to marry sound practices with a profitable business, and should be able to shame others into at least trying.

They work with partners from all over the area to ensure sustainability. Local farms are only part of what they do. See a list of the Burgerville sustainability partners here.

The downside of Burgerville? They are only in the Pacific Northwest. If you are in the area, skip the national chains and try something that will not only satisfy your taste buds. Eating at Burgerville is a way to make a statement, to say "I want good food, from local sources, from a company striving to limit environmental impact."