Move Green: How to Plan An Eco-Friendly Move

sustainablelivingreport | June 26, 2018 | Green & Eco-Friendly Living

Moving into a new home can be stressful – and it can also generate a lot of waste! Here’s how to plan a worry-free and more eco-friendly move…

With all the work, stress, worry, and activity that goes into moving into a new home, most of us don’t think about the huge amount of waste that can be generated during a move. Planning a move is challenging and time-consuming, and the last thing on your mind might be how “green” your transition will be. The good news is, it’s surprisingly easy to plan an eco-friendly move and cut down on the amount of trash generated by the process. All you need is a bit of advance planning and a few environment-approved moving supplies.

Planning ahead of time can help save you worry when the move comes – and will also give you time to de-clutter and organize. After all, there’s no need to bring all those items with you that you haven’t used in years. Donate unused or unwanted items to Goodwill or another charity, and reduce the number of things you have to move in the first place – while reducing the number of items that end up in the landfill when you decide at the last minute that you don’t want to deal with packing them up and bringing them after all.

Once you’ve got everything planned and organized, follow these 3 tips for a more eco-friendly move:

1.) Use Eco-Friendly Moving Supplies

Look for these eco-friendly packing materials:

Rentable plastic storage bins that can be returned.

Sheets, bedding and towels to use as packing material.

Reusable plastic bags to replace Ziploc ones.

Beeswax wraps to help transport food from your fridge.

Wax markers to label moving boxes.

Garden twine or paper-based tape to seal boxes.

Cardboard boxes.

Biodegradable bubble wrap and packing peanuts.

When gathering supplies for your move, reach out to family, friends and neighbors to see if they have anything you can use. Most are more than willing to lend a helping hand (or box), and this can save you a trip to the store.

2.) Research Green Moving Companies in the Area

You might be surprised to find out that a moving company down the street has rentable plastic bins and trucks that use eco-friendly biodiesel.

“Make sure to ask whether they use reusable bins or recycled boxes and what kind of packaging material is standard. Never be afraid to request something else as well. As a general principle, locally based companies are usually more wiling to adapt to your needs than large, nationally based ones.”
–Jenica Barrett | Zero Waste Wisdom

3.) Recycle Everything You Can

Recycling may not be the best solution to our waste issue, but when it comes to moving it’s better to recycle something than ship it off to a landfill. Give your boxes to friends and family who might be moving soon, or place them in your recycling bin; add the biodegradable twine and other items to a compost pile.