Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) has been making headlines for months with its environmental initiatives, and now Target (NYSE: TGT) is in the news. The retailer announced that it will be reducing the use of PVC in packaging and children's products.

The EPA classifies PVC as a human carcinogen. Target has been the subject of protests from environmental groups pressuring the company to reduce its use of PVC and be more environmentally conscious. Of course, Target says its plans to reduce its use of the product predate the protests.

Target's corporate website has a page devoted to its environmental initiatives. A few of the highlights:

• "Energy-efficient fluorescent lamps are used throughout our stores, a first in the retail industry. We are currently changing our sales floor lighting from a three-lamp to a two-lamp fixture, which will reduce our energy consumption by 22 percent."
• "Four stores in California draw 20 percent of their annual electricity needs from their own rooftop solar-panel systems. In 2007, Target will retrofit 14 more California stores to operate on solar power."
• In 2006, the company "reused 385 million garment hangers and recycled 2.1 million pounds of plastic and 153,000 pounds of metal from broken hangers."

Wal-Mart and Target appear to be locked in a battle to one-up each other on environmental responsibility, and that's great news for the planet.

The Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine is suing a handful of fast-food restaurant chains that include Burger King Holdings, Inc (NYSE: BKC) and McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) for serving grilled chicken that they claim is carcinogenic. The PCRM is saying that chicken products from these chains were tested and found to test positive for certain carcinogenic compounds.

The Center for Consumer Freedom begs to differ about the PCRM's claims and points out the PCRM is not a mainstream health organization, with one of PCRM's primary aims including making all Americans eat vegetarian. You can see PCRM's website dismissing animal protein as a viable food source here, and if you take the time to wander through the site, it's the only diet ever recommended, making the CCF's claim that the PCRM is a somewhat radicalized PETA/Animal rights group gone a bit far something to take seriously.

There's a further interesting note. The PCRM does not compare regularly grilled chicken from home (ie on your own BBQ grill) to the rates of carcinogens found in the fast food restaurant. It's not a secret that charred food contains a small number of carcinogens in it. PCRM does not say if fast food charring has more than a burnt piece of chicken you cooked yourself or not. PCRM is certainly trying to use scare tactics to alter American eating habits, and its being untruthful (or at least very disingenuous) in its presentation of the issue. A big problem for the fast food chains? No, your stock will probably not be affected by this bogus suit.

But I propose a test. Let's get Morgan Spurlock (of Supersize Me fame) to eat nothing but grilled chicken from fast food restaurants for a month and see how his health is affected...

Tobias Buckell is an author, freelancer, and professional blogger who does not own securities in McDonalds or Burger King.