1st USA Van lines offers these environment-friendly tips to help protect our planet
Americans just seem to accumulate “stuff,” and our lifestyles can create a lot of waste. This year, more than 43 million Americans will pack up their households and move. If you’re among them, remember to watch out for Mother Earth and our future generations by considering these environment-friendly moving tips.
Green Thumb Packing
Boxes and packing supplies such as foam peanuts create a lot of extra trash. When possible try to use plastic tubs instead of boxes. After the move you can then use the tubs to store holiday ornaments, seasonal clothing and other items you will undoubtedly collect over time. In the future, if you have to relocate again, you will already have a collection of containers available for use. Even if you use plastic tubs, you may have to purchase some boxes. After your move you can save them for your next move, make plans to donate them to someone else in need of moving boxes (for example you may post them under the Free Section in your city listing of Craigslist.com), or place them for collection by your local recycling center…please do not discard your used boxes in the trash. Using old blankets and towels as padding in your boxes serves the dual purpose of protecting your breakables and packing your linens. Newspaper, which is recyclable, is certainly worthy as an outer packing wrap or for cushioning, but remember, no matter how old the newspaper, the ink can rub off and even can become embedded in fine china if used for wrapping. Unprinted newspaper is your best bet.
One Man’s Junk is Another Man’s Treasure
When you make the decision to move it’s often tempting to go the easy route and simply throw unwanted items away. But your old stereo speakers, barbecue grill and those “skinny” clothes that no longer fit could be treasures for a bargain-seeking garage-sale shopper or a local charity or thrift shop. And all those books you have read (which tend to add a lot of weight to your move) can be donated to your local library or community center. Take a little extra time to sort through your things and host a garage sale or donate them to a deserving charity, rather than adding to a landfill.
Don’t be a Hazard
It is important to remember that certain items cannot be shipped with us because they represent a hazard. And if the professionals won’t move them, you might not want to either. Hazardous items are usually flammable, corrosive or explosive, such as fertilizer, car batteries, liquid bleach, ammunition and paint thinners. Contact your local municipalities to see if they schedule hazardous materials disposal days or have a drop off location nearby. Local vendors of these materials often offer disposal services as well.
Consume, Perish or Donate?
Try to plan your food purchases in the weeks ahead of your move so that you don’t end up with
a lot of perishables. Professional movers cannot move perishable items, and if you’re doing the
move yourself, you probably don’t want to hassle with them. But even the best laid plans will result in some extra items in the fridge and freezer, so plan ahead of time to give them to a friend or neighbor. Also if you don’t want to pack up and move dozens of canned goods and other non-perishables, you can help others by donating them to a local food shelter.
