53,000 Texans ask Whataburger to put wildlife over waste

It’s time to stop plastic foam cups before they kill more wildlife—and Whataburger can help.

On Nov. 19, Environment Texas, Surfrider Foundation and Care2 delivered a 1,600-page petition with 53,000 signatures calling on the chain Whataburger to stop using cups and containers made of polystyrene foam—what most people call Styrofoam. Americans throw away 70 million foam cups a day. They don’t degrade and pose a threat to to animals that may mistake bits of plastic foam for food. Thanks to growing consumer demand, other fast-food companies including, Dunkin’ and McDonald’s, have committed to stopping the use of single-use plastics and polystyrene foam cups and containers.
“We think they can find a good solution that meets customers’ needs but moves away from such harmful products,” said Environment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger in the San Antonio Express-News.

Photo: Environment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger and supporters in front of a Whataburger location, calling on the company to discontinue the use of polystyrene foam. Credit: Staff