ponderings from the dairy aisle

[cellio]

Most of the time (where I shop), milk comes in plastic containers. Occasionally, it comes in the waxy cardboard ones instead. Last night I actually had a choice, and realized I don't know which one is more green. Plastic can be recycled (good) and the cardboard can't, but I have the impression that producing the plastic container is more destructive to the environment -- and, of course, you also have to factor in the costs of recycling. Trash in a landfill also imposes a cost, and means that cost of production is borne entirely by one use. Overall, I don't know which one is less bad.

Which would you buy?

Comments

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but I buy my Smiling Hill Farm (http://www.smilinghill.com/) milk in real glass bottles that are reusable (the cost of the milk includes a $1.00 deposit on the bottle). I buy from a big chain (Hannaford Supermarkets) and they actually offer two different brands of local milk in glass bottles.

Never realized this was a regional thing. I guess I always supposed that milk in glass bottles was available anywhere, if you were willing to pay for it. But now that I think on it, I guess I don't see any in the supermarkets at Pennsic (we buy our milk on-site, so I've never had to look for milk at the Giant Eagle...)

[cellio]

Wow, I haven't seen milk in glass bottles since I was a kid and it was delivered by the milkman.