Read This Before You Buy Glass Milk Bottles At Whole Foods

If you've shopped at Whole Foods, you've likely noticed that the chain sells its milk in glass bottles rather than the typical plastic jug. As you might expect, this difference in packaging has everything to do with environmental footprint.

According to Napa Recycling, because plastic is so lightweight, it results in lower transportation costs and lower emissions. These plastic jugs cannot be recycled into new jugs for sanitary reasons, but you can repurpose your milk jugs at home. Glass bottles, on the other hand, are heavier and lead to higher emissions, but they can be recycled and reused.

In addition to glass bottles being more environmentally friendly, they can also help keep your milk fresh longer. This is due to glass retaining the cold in your fridge better than plastic or cardboard containers. So what else could you possibly need to know about Whole Foods' glass milk bottles?

So you've put a hefty glass bottle of milk in your cart at Whole Foods. Now what? Well, once you check out, you'll notice a small bottle deposit is added to your bill. According to Delish, this deposit is usually less than a dollar, so don't be worried about a huge fee being tacked on.

The next step is to go about using your milk the way you usually do, whether that entails baking a hot fudge cake recipe for a snack, drinking milk every day, or something else entirely. You do you. Anyway, finish off that milk however you see fit, and rinse out the bottle.

Your final role in the recycling process is to simply return the empty glass bottle to your local Whole Foods. Per Living Well Spending Less, you get your bottle deposit back upon returning the bottle to be recycled. Dairy farmers can then sterilize and reuse the bottles for their next batch of milk. How awesome is that?