The package costs less, storage space is saved and waste disposal costs are slashed. So why aren't more schools using the Mini-Sip pouch?

The pouch, made from polyethylene film, fits neatly into a child's hand. It was developed by Liqui-Box Corp. in the 1990s, with management moving to DuPont Canada after Liqui-Box was acquired in 2002. Designed with school lunch programs in mind, the pouch has done well in Latin America and states with restrictive landfill policies, including Florida and Louisiana. Pitched by DuPont as "better for the environment," the pouch also has been successful in California, less so in Hummer-buying states. The toughest sell, however, is to some early Earth Day participants: the people who run the nation's schools.