21st Century Milk

A New York Times article investigated the new design of the gallon milk jug appearing in Walmarts and Costcos across the country. The reasoning behind the redesign is threefold: 1) Cheaper to ship, 2) Better for the environment, and 3) Keeps milk fresher.

However, the new jugs have been criticized for being difficult to pour; the milk "spills everywhere," according to homemaker Amy Wise. Sam's Club worker Mary Tilton attempted to ease the transition by demonstrating a "rock and pour" method of pouring while the jug rests on a table rather than a "lift and tip" strategy.

But -- it seems the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. One of the biggest problems with the old jugs was the inefficient method in which they were shipped - requiring crates that took up lots of room, were difficult to move, required extra space in trucks to return to the manufacturers, and were filthy. One dairy farm reported using 100,000 gallons of water PER DAY to wash the crates.

The new gallons are stackable, use only a sheet of cardboard between layers and are shrinkwrapped, and water use has been cut 60-70%. All of the packaging is recycled. Also, trips to Sam's Clubs have been reduced from five per week to two, which saves on fuel costs - not to mention the environment benefits as well. Yet another saving is in space - milk coolers used to hold only 80 gallons, but can now hold 224! Milk also is fresher because it arrives sooner - often the same day it was milked from the cow rather than that afternoon or even the next day.

All of this seems like a step in the right direction. Naysayers...practice the "rock and pour" and keep your change-fearing selves quiet! Now, when can we expect these gallon containers in our neighborhood grocery stores??

EDIT: Thanks to EcoJoes for the image!