Good ol’ Wal-Mart and Costco have started using a new design for their milk jugs, and I think they’ve come up with a real winner. The new design has a whole mess of environmental and cost advantages compared to the milk jug design that you’re probably used to, but there are some people that jes’ plain don’t care for it. Here’s a brief summary of its pros and cons.
New Milk Jug Design Pros
- Less shipping materials – The old jugs had to be packaged with heavy shipping crates. The new ones can be stacked with just a layer of cardboard between them.
- More efficient transport – Less shipping materials means more milk jugs can be transported in each truck, so companies save money on gas and cut down on air pollution.
- Shipping labor cut in half
- Water usage cut by 60-70% – The old shipping crates had to be sprayed off after each run, since milk would spill on them and birds would roost in them
- Lower milk cost! – “Sam’s Club said [there] was a savings of 10 to 20 cents a gallon compared with old jugs.“
- The new milk jugs fit better in your fridge.
The Bad Side of New Milk Jug Design
Amy Wise, a homemaker in Ohio, said the new-fangled gallon jug spilled milk everywhere. Judging from the picture, I’d say her main problem is that she’s trying to pour the milk into an imaginary cup in her left hand. No wonder she looks frustrated.
Many people say the new milk jugs are harder to pour. But I think with more practice, people will get used to them quickly. With all the benefits (less pollution, cheaper milk, easier transportation, and more efficient use o’ materials), methinks that the new milk jug may be here to stay.
* The bodacious picture of Amy Wise was taken by David Maxwell of The New York Times.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:42 am
I support this new milk jug design.
I will go to Wall Mart and buy the new ones. I will test to see if it really is difficult to pour me a good glass of milk.
Yours Truly
Pamela Anderson. new milk jugs supporter.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Pamela, I have supported all of your milk jug redesigns too. Let me know if you have any problems with your jugs. Dang, what an honor to have you comment on this lowly and most unworthy site.
July 12th, 2008 at 8:28 am
I have no problems with the milk jugs. it brought all the boys to the yard. cause its better than yours. but I have to charge.
July 12th, 2008 at 11:00 am
I’m all for the new design, ecojoe–and if you’re making subtle jokes about “milk jugs,” stop or I’ll tell your MOM! I do agree with you though that that lady is somewhat…slow, to think that she can just pour milk into her configured hand.
July 12th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Maybe that is what her special glove is for, to absorb the milk that she pours directly into her hand?
July 14th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I say if it uses less packaging and is designed to be more eco-friendly — I’ll learn to pour it carefully. I embrace companies that try to reduce packaging as there is so much waste in this area.
July 14th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I also agree that if the companies want to help our nation be more eco-friendly – let’s support that! Every little bit helps, if there weren’t any little bits of sand, we wouldn’t have nice pretty beaches! (ok, I know weird, but it just came out!)
July 15th, 2008 at 1:13 am
why can’t we just go back to the old fashioned glass jars? They must keep milk fresher and not have any of that chemical in them that has all of the baby bottle folks up in arms. Baby bottles went back to all glass…why not milk??
July 15th, 2008 at 8:37 am
From what I had read, only the baby bottles that contain BPA might cause harm to babies. As for the glass jars, I’d be fine with that if maybe stores offered a discount if you bring your own glass jar to fill up with milk, but I think so many people would still opt for the convenience of a plastic milk jug. May as well make it as efficiently as possible
July 17th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Moo Moo Drinker, I’d love to see the glass bottles come back, especially if they allow for refills. In fact, I’m a big proponent of all beverages being delivered via refillable glass containers. The savings in terms of money, transportation, and the environment would be HUGE. One big, big factor preventing everyone from using refillable glass bottles though is the spread of disease that would increase from multiple open containers coming into contact with the source of the beverage.
Still, I think there must be a way for us to be able to simply re-use glass bottles and get them refilled in a sanitary way.
September 28th, 2008 at 6:20 am
Here in the midwest we have a local dairy farm that packages in glass jars – the name of the company is Shatto. And they don’t use growth hormones either for their cows. It’s awesome, and you get a deposit back on your glass bottles when you take them back to the stores. Might want to look in your local area to see if any place has them.
September 28th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Dang, that DOES sound awesome. Not only is that good for the environment, but it’s good for your local economy. I doubt that there’s anything like that around here, but I will check. Thanks for the tip.
February 19th, 2009 at 3:57 am
The new jugs do not pour well. Listen to the lady. Try the new jugs and see. They spill and slop milk. The spout is not designed for pouring. The spout design needs some work. No amount of "practice" is going to make the pouring better. They better package a roll of paper towels with each one. OOps now thats not very environmental.
p.s. How about a cap that makes it pour better. Thats a million dollar answer. I though of it first.
February 27th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
If you think this milk jug is green, you should live in Costa Rica. Here, in Costa Rica, the milk company packages milk in thin, tough plastic bags Take it home and pour it in your own container. Very little plastic is used.— And even better, there is door to door delivery of milk by the local dairymen cheaper than the grocery store. Just walk out the door with your container and he fills it. No growth hormones and no grain fed cattle or other additives.
February 27th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
I would love to live in Costa Rica; I went there 3 years ago and loved it. That sounds like a great system; I'm not sure if there are any more milk delivery services like that in the U.S.
June 17th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
I like the logic behind this newly designed plastic milk jug… but it needs tweeking because the opening is NOT pour-friendly. Maybe a pull-up pop-out spout would help and still keep the overall bottle design the same.
Glass bottled milk is available at Kroger grocery stores in my area of Virginia. (And maybe others, I haven’t checked.) It comes in quart and half-gallon sizes. You will pay a deposit for your initial purchase but that additional amount is then deducted from your next purchase when you return the glass bottle … the deposit and return principal. The returned bottles are sanitized, refilled and sealed by the milk bottling company to prevent cross-contamination. If you look around and are willing to make the effort to wash out and return the empty glass bottles, it a good deal.