When you enter a McDonald’s and take in the greasy food, trays of packaging waste, and bright lighting, everything may seem so far from green that you’d laugh if you were told the company is environmentally friendly. But that’s exactly what McDonald’s claims they are and they believe they can back up the claim. The McDonald’s Corporate Social Responsibility program has been focusing heavily on issues relating to environment and energy and the website alone, with its numerous eco-activism videos, is enough to make you wonder whether the company that’s all about the beef has actually turned a new leaf.

But much of what McDonald’s is doing seems to stem from saving money and is nothing new for the company, instead being rebranded as green endeavors. They’ve switched to CFLs in many restaurants and soon hope to move to LEDs, and individual restaurants must complete Energy Surveys that analyze their use and suggests the best five ways to lower it. Both changes result in reduced energy consumption—always good for our planet—but are likely motivated by the financial savings from the lowered energy bills. Still, whether motivated by money or a real committment to get greener, it’s hard to argue that there are planet perks to energy reducing actions. New energy-efficient menu signs saved enough power over a year to totally power 100 restaurants for an entire year, a McDonalds in North Carolina will feature EV charging stations, and in the U.K. they’re going to use old cooking oil to power biofuel company vans. Click here to read more

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