Age old question: carboard or plastic?

Question

Milk.

Is it better to buy milk in cardboard or plastic?

I'm conflicted. (And I can't afford cows, right now, so that's out of the question, too.)

Answer 1

It takes more energy to create paper(cardboard) as well as depleting the tree supply. Which means more dioxin.

Your best bet would be plastic.  They can pave streets with it, make furniture etc.

Eventually we'll have milk dispensers like we have water bottle fill up stations.  Then perhaps we'll have to bring our own containers to buy meat from the butcher so we won't need all that Styrofoam from the meat & fish containers.

Inconvient but a great idea.  People should have to pay more if they don't bring their own containers.    I'm on a roll... but I have to leave now.

Answer 2

whatever floats your boat

Answer 3

Ha ha I've just asked a question about keeping a cow!!

Anyway, my first suggestion would have been to get your milk delivered by a milkman (person) who use glass, we do that but clearly that's not an option for you. (I'm in the UK)

As your area doesn't recycle cartons I'd go for plastic, BUT please make sure you pick bottles made from recycled plastic.

There is absolutely no point in recycling if you then go and buy products made from new plastic. The circle needs to be completed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Recyc...

Hope this helps

Bright Blessings

I had another thought, the dairy you said that does supply in a glass bottle, could you talk to them and possibly set up an order? If you pay in advance they may be willing to put some bottles aside for you until you can collect? Anyway just a thought.

Answer 4

If you only consider the ecological point of view, then use plastic if it is directly recycled.  That means that the bottles are collected, sterilized, then refilled.  If that isn't the case, I would use cardboard.  Glass is obviously best since it is surely reused/recycled but I don't know where that may still be used.

Answer 5

plastic u can recycle it

Answer 6

plastic i guess.

you can recycle it.

=)

Answer 7

This is a hard one. Neither are a good choice to someone like you and I who are concerned with the environment. If thats the one little thing you do wrong everyday than its ok. Dont feel guilty abou it. I tend to buy the small cardboard ones and than plant in them after Im done or make small birdfeeders. But you can recycle them both.

Answer 8

You know no matter what we do, it has an impact on the environment. I think the difference between cardboard and plastic milk cartons is pretty marginal.

If you really want to help the environment look at your energy consumption. Something as simple as caulking your windows, insulating the attic, installing compact fluorescent bulbs and driving 10% less would make a real difference.

Also if you cut down on your consumption of beef, where it takes 10 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of meat, that would help too. Much more than choosing cardboard over plastic or vice-a-versa.

Answer 9

I actually think the plastic is better.  In my community, the cardboard container would not be accepted for recycling as it contained food and they don't accept them, plus the container would be made from virgin wood pulp.  But you can clean out the milk from the plastic container and then it's 100%  recyclable.  If you cannot recycle, cardboard is better since it will biodegrade.  Also, to me it's easier to re-use the plastic container if you can't recycle it.  They make good planet covers, can be cut for funnels, seed starters, etc.  I agree that a dairy delivering milk in reuseable glass bottles would be great, but where are you gonna find one of those these days!!

Answer 10

maybe you should consider soy milk - they come in different containers in different areas - maybe they have glass in your area?