The Milk Mess
Up until recently, if you had milk in a hotel room or on a plane they gave you a little bucket of it. The foil top had a pull-off part and either this came off as you tried to open it or you managed to get the milk sprayed over you. Or you put your finger in through the foil and splashed the milk over yourself, the tray or your neighbour.
Obviously, someone decided to come up with a new container to hold milk and the tube was born. You’ve probably seen them. They’re like the containers that hold coffee in hotel rooms. At one end is a tear off edge in order to make it easier for you get at the milk. Except that when you tear it, the pressure in the tube often results in a jet of milk going over your tray, your clothing or your foot depending on the power of the jet. It’s called a Dairystix of all things
So what bright spark decided that this was an improvement on the bucket? The spray has been replaced by the jet. Some improvement that is!
Quite obviously, some deep thought has gone into the best way to contain small amounts of milk. It’s just they haven’t thought far enough to get something acceptable to the public. It has to be easy to open, can’t leak but strong enough not to rip.
The Dairystix website opens with the buzzing of a bee. (I didn’t know we’d started milking bees). The Dairystix, it says, is easy to tear and pour. After a number of attempts I don’t believe that for a minute. Less packaging is involved so less goes into landfill. That may be true but its still of little use if it doesn’t pour. Why not save all the packaging and bring the cow into the hotel or onto the plane! And it lasts for 173 days. The reason is because you can’t get into the thing so people give up.
What about a little pot like the ones they put marmalade and jams in? How about a miniature, plastic bottle? Now I am not creative but there must be someone out there with a better idea for a milk container that doesn’t cause you grief when you open it.
I am very familiar with Dairystix. I had a little difficulty opening it the very first time I tried it. Are you quite serious that you haven’t figured out how to open the packet? Really?
Don’t know about you but I’m willing to learn how to open a packet that is so much better for the environment than the other packages. If you go beyond joking about the bee on the Dairystix website, you’ll note they calculated how much material savings are achieved with this pouch. I recommend people look at that too.
While your next post may condemn an orange (much tougher to open than a Dairystix), I suggest you consider the seriousness of the enviro issues before you make light of an important new package.
Thanks for the comment Michael,
Yes, I admit I was being a little flippant.
But whilst it might involve less packaging it still is difficult to open. Try being arthritic and opening it. You think it an improvement. I am not convinced and I still think there must be a better solution.
Why can’t the steward/ess just bring round a jug of milk, pour a drop into your cup before or at the same time as tea or coffee is served. No environmental issues here apart from washing the jug and getting rid of one or two supermarket type milk containers? I don’t feel this would be too onerous on the cabin staff either.
or a small bottle? of milk in the mini bar (FOC of course)
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