Moving Storage: A Green Option
01/25/10
So you've opted for moving storage as a safe and economical way to move, and you're pleased with how little energy it takes to transport moving storage. Storage containers are a splendidly eco friendly way to move. However, the waste involved in packing your belongings horrifies you. How can you pack your moving storage container while still going green?
Moving boxes, a prime source of waste, are the place where a little effort on your part can make the biggest impact on the environment. Rather than giving in to the temptation of convenience and buying a stack of new boxes from the moving company, check Freecycle, Craigslist, and other classifieds sections in your area for used boxes that people are giving away for free or for cheap. If you live in even a moderately large city, you can stock up with more boxes than you will ever need in no time at all. You can probably avoid buying any boxes at all except for specialty boxes like glassware boxes and large picture boxes.
(Please note that this is not advised in areas that have problems with bedbug infestations or that have a lot of cockroaches. Both cockroaches and bedbugs can ride on cardboard boxes, whether in adult or in egg form, so you may open your storage container to find an infestation you didn't have when you packed. Getting used boxes from the grocery store should also be an emergency measure, since even the cleanest grocery store has roaches.)
Packing materials are also an area where going green can have a huge impact. Get used packing materials at the same time that you get used boxes, and supplement them with your own soft furnishings. Towels, pillows, and blankets should be used as packing materials, not folded in a box. When those run out, thin plastic grocery bags make excellent packing material. (They aren't eco friendly, but everyone has drifts of them anyway, so you may as well use what you have.) Old newspapers are another classic choice. If you have no newspapers because you went green by switching to online delivery, shredded junk mail makes great "packing peanuts."
Depending on the type of moving storage you chose and how full you were able to pack the container, you may need to lash down your possessions with rope. Again, reusing others' rope is a good option. If used rope isn't available, buy rope made of natural fibers, like hemp or cotton, or a recyclable form of synthetic rope like nylon.
Packing your moving storage container in an environmentally friendly way takes a little more care and consciousness than the old traditional method of using new boxes and packing peanuts. However, green packing materials are just as good at protecting your belongings, and are far better for the environment. When you finish the cycle by handing your used packing materials on to the next person who needs to move, using a moving storage container will not only be a green moving option, it will be a green option, period.
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