All that (and much less) in a gallon of milk?

The June 30 edition of the New York Times saw fit to print news of a major step forward for both the lactose tolerant and efforts to reduce vehicle miles traveled: Costco and Wal-Mart are using a new gallon milk jug.

The new rectangular design allows more jugs to be packed into trucks, which reduces the need for 4- or 5-days per week deliveries down to 2, which saves the company fuel and the environment from VMT. Because they can be stacked, the new jugs can be shrink-wrapped on cardboard pallets that can be recycled, which saves water since cleaning those pallets don't have to be hosed down before being re-used.

The only drawback is that apparently they require you to pour very, very carefully. But even this can be an advantage, say, by heightening the anticipation of that cold glass of milk to wash down a row of Oreos or a sleeve of Girl Scouts' Thin Mints.

And who knows? If this idea gathers steam, maybe the the big boxes will shrink their stores to fit on a city block. After all, in a year when the Cubs are vying for a return trip to the playoffs, anything seems possible.