McDonald’s is concluding its “Summer of Happy Meal Fun” with a “Hummer of a Summer” promotion, including a choice of eight Hummer toys in its Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals.

The McDonald Hummer toys are modeled after General Motor’s Hummer H1, H2, and H3. Hummer SUVs, like many other large, inefficient vehicles, emit significantly more global warming and smog-forming pollution than the average passenger vehicle—placing children at risk for respiratory problems including asthma. The Hummer H2, for example, achieves an estimated 11-14 miles per gallon (though no one knows exactly because the H2 is so big it is exempt from Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards.) A very low number when compared to the fuel economy achieved by the Ford Escape Hybrid SUVs—the front-wheel drive model gets an estimated 34 miles per gallon. Indeed, the 2006 H2 was rated one of the “meanest vehicles on the environment” by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.

McDonald’s decision to include the Hummer toy in kid’s meals is out of touch with the realities of high gas prices, energy security concerns, and the realities of global warming. Moreover, it undermines McDonald’s efforts to boost its image as a socially responsible company. In response to determined work by UCS and coalition partners, McDonald’s enacted a policy to reduce and monitor the use of antibiotics by its poultry suppliers and to encourage reduced antibiotic use by beef and pork suppliers. Today, UCS acts as an advisor to McDonald’s on other food and sustainability issues through its work with CERES, a coalition of investors, environmental, and public interest organizations.

McDonald’s needs to hear a clear message from the public that it is doing nothing for itself but alienating consumers with campaigns such as this. McDonald’s should leave hawking gas-guzzlers to GM and focus on continuing to improve its own environmental practices.