We can all admit that we have consumed a McDonald's burger before, we can also admit that fast food has been a part of the American culture for 70 years. Most of us don't realize what affect this industry has on us and the environment. Even though a fast food meal is just a burger, fries, and a soft drink, we can divide fast food as a whole into the harmful effects it has on us. Fast food is not just a quick meal, it is a harmful product to our environment, society, and economy.

At the pick-up window we usually receive a bag full with food, utensils wrapped in plastic, and napkins; to wipe that greasy slop off of us. In our urban society packaging and waste is the primary litter in the United States, but it isn't the worse. According to the Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs the amount of food transported by road has doubled between 1974 and 2005. This means that there are more volatile organic compounds (VOCs) being released into the environment. VOCs are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary, room-temperature conditions. Their high vapor pressure results from a low boiling point, which causes large numbers of molecules to evaporate or sublimate from the liquid or solid form of the compound and enter the surrounding air. Even though these are "organic chemicals" they still have affect on our health. Many organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals; some are suspected of causing, or are known to cause, cancer in humans. A study in Hong Kong shows that a fast food restaurant making four hamburgers emits the same amount of VOCs as driving a car for 1,000 miles. With the help of VOCs and litter from fast food, are beautiful environment is becoming a big disastrous landfill. The environment is not just nature it can also be related to our surroundings, and what are in those surroundings? Fast food restaurants.

Over time fast food restaurants have been effecting our society in ways such as fast food restaurants near schools, home cooked meals, and disease. Fast food restaurants seem to be everywhere, particularly near hungry students. Near my school I have a Jack in the Box down the street, also a Carl's Jr. and a KFC just a few more blocks down. This is a problem because students are more likely to go to these establishments and eat their food. If they continue this pattern it can lead to a lot of disease such as heart problems and diabetes. Many people in society don't really think if something could be wrong in their meal. A perfect example would be a little six year old girl from San Diego. She ate a Happy Meal and after having three heart attacks she died in her mother's arms. The real reason why she died is because of the disease e coli. This proves that fast food places are not properly inspecting their food for tainted meat. This is why many activist stress the importance of home cooked meals; they are made by you and are healthier for you. People can complain saying they don't have time to prepare a home cooked meal because of their long business day, but the truth is a simple healthy dinner such as steamed rice, vegetables, a salad, with a glass of milk takes roughly around 10mins to make. Now would you rather have a