There’s been a (somewhat slowly) growing trend in recent years to revamp small things in our lives to make a little bit greener, for example, compact fluorescent bulbs are gradually replacing their more inefficient cousins, incandescent lights.

Companies are jumping on the band wagon as well. Poland Springs, for example, recently debuted their new “eco-shape” bottle that has 30 percent less plastic than the old bottle. Apparently, Sam’s Club is also getting in on the act with brand-new rectangular-shaped milk jugs, according to this article in today’s online version of The New York Times.

The jugs are easier to stack and therefore to ship, cheaper to make and ship (bringing down the cost of milk in the store) and more environmentally-friendly. But to change-resistant consumers, they’re also, well, different.

The new shape just isn’t want people are used to seeing in the diary section. And though the milk in these containers is fresher (because it ships out faster) and cheaper, it’s also apparently harder to pour. The tried-and-true “life, tip and pour” method doesn’t work these jugs, instead resulting in a lot of spilled milk. No need to cry though, because just resting the jug on a counter and tipping it will get all the milk into your glass, Sams Club employees say.

Such reinventions of basic parts of the American way of life are going to become more commonplace, according to experts quote in the article:

“This is a key strategy as a path forward,” said Anne Johnson, the director of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, a project of the nonprofit group GreenBlue. “Re-examining, ‘What are the materials we are using? How are we using them? And where to they go ultimately?”

Sam’s Club is already expanding the number of stores that feature the new milk jugs and Wal-Mart is considering following suit.

Who knows what product will eco-ified next…