Moving is a complicated process – something you’ll likely remember for your entire life and yet never fully grasp at the moment. While overwhelming at times, the finer details such as keeping track of your carbon footprint should not be overseen. Planning your move is possible to do stress-free, while also including time dedicated to reducing waste and improving the ecological impact of the move.
After all, moving is done primarily using trucks and dedicated moving vehicles, over long stretches of road which tends to have an overall worse effect on the environment. However, don’t worry – as previously mentioned, there are several great ways of handling this and making the most out of your move – while staying within respectful bounds in terms of ecology. Today we’re going to be looking at the top 7 ways of reducing waste while making your move an amazing success. Here’s how:
1. Saving electricity
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When moving, packing is going to take up a large amount of time. Planning your move to California might be more difficult to do during the day since most people are busy working. However, the more time you can squeeze in during the day, the less energy you will end up using, and the more you will save.
Natural light is great for packing regardless, as the brain becomes more aware and focused on which items are important to bring with you, which would need repairs, to be donated, and so on. Having a clear mind during the packing process will help you label the boxes correctly, avoid careless mistakes and overall improve your moving performance – as well as making you feel better.
2. Packing materials
Even though a lot of money is made from re-selling packing materials, such as bubble wrap and cardboard boxes – a lot of it is redundant. In most cases, the plastic material and the waste induced by buying up new supplies every time you move is simply unnecessary. There are amazing packing materials available at every corner, likely in your possession already, which can help make your move a success.
We’re talking about smart alternatives, such as old newspapers in place of packing paper, old cardboard boxes, or ones salvaged from somewhere, and so on. A great idea for reducing moving waste is using towels, blankets, and other soft materials to wrap your fragile belongings. Adjust for pressure, and try to transport things in their original packaging as much as possible to reduce waste even further.
3. Donate, sell and recycle
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During a move, you’ll likely find you have a lot of things leftover which you may not necessarily want to bring into your new life. Typically, moving is the perfect opportunity to reevaluate your old life and throw away the things that are no longer working for you. In a consumer-focused society, it’s much too easy to end up with things you don’t want. Avoid the temptation of throwing them into the bin and forgetting about it by considering the main goal: reducing waste.
The best way of getting rid of things you no longer want? Yard sales! If you’ve got something more appealing, a pawn shop might be happy to take it off your hands, if you’re in a rush. Finally, there are always opportunities to recycle certain items, such as batteries. Finally, give back to the community by donating some of your unused, yet generally useful items – remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure! Organize donations online or by posting about them in your local newspaper.
4. Eco-friendly movers
This is especially true for long-distance moves, consider finding a company that is dedicated to keeping its carbon footprint minimal. ExpressMovingVanLines is one such example, but there are more. There is a real interest in terms of efficiency, as well as eco-friendliness to create a moving experience that doesn’t affect the environment negatively.
Finding a company that will help you achieve your moving goals, without compromising on your values is a great first step towards your new life.
5. Electric transportation
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While seemingly futuristic – the options are slowly entering the market at last! Electric travel, by way of not requiring fossil fuels to power the vehicles, is more ecologically friendly than the alternatives. There may not be a lot of opportunities to move your belongings with an electric car – however, if you or someone you know has one, or there’s a company offering this service, then you’re in luck!
If your local movers can transport your items in an ecologically friendly way, with 0 emissions, then you can rest easy knowing you’re contributing to a brighter tomorrow.
6. Forget about cardboard boxes
In the likely chance, you no longer have old cardboard boxes on hand, and are planning to buy new ones – think again! The ecological impact is significant for them.
Fortunately, it’s possible to get just as much usage out of the plastic moving boxes. That’s right – a plastic alternative that isn’t terrible! Thanks to the many ways these moving tools will be used and reused, they present themselves as a far superior version of the cardboard boxes. Renting them out from a moving company such as Express Moving Van Lines should prove to be no trouble, helping you along on your goal towards a fully sustainable move.
7. Hire professionals
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There are some very solid reasons why hiring a professional moving company will help you minimize the impact on the environment. Firstly, if you’re planning to do the move yourself, it is likely that you won’t have the necessary room to move all your belongings in one go. Multiple trips mean many times more gas used.
Additionally, if you decide to rent a truck, it will typically be less efficient than the industry-standard trucks used as part of regular moving operations. This choice saves time, energy, nerves and helps the environment recover from our impact.
As you can see – there are always options. Each small difference helps build a brighter future! Thank you for your contributions.
