Over the last couple of years, sustainability and environmental issues grew from something that was discussed only in select circles to the topics that dominate all aspects of our lives. To put it simply, the damage we are inflicting on the environment becomes more apparent with each passing day, and the fight for a greener society can no longer choose battlefields. Where do we stand then with activities like moving that are usually organized under pressure and with little room for additional considerations? Well, the good news is that moving can be made more sustainable without making the whole process needlessly complicated. Let’s see how.
Use the perks of green transportation
Of course, we are not talking about relocating your items from point A to point B (more about that in a minute). The process of moving also includes scouting, negotiations, buying the necessary items, and overall a lot of footwork that doesn’t necessarily require that you sit in your car and blast CO2 into the air. What should you do instead? Well, you can resort to some of the popular ways of green transportation like public transport or bikes and something good for the environment.
Reduce the waste
This is one of the popular sustainability practices in the business world, so there is no reason why you wouldn’t try to do the same. So, how can you reduce the amount of waste during relocation? Start by cutting the number of items you are going to move. Unnecessary clothes and books can be donated, and you should also start cooking the frozen food. Also, use the containers you already have for packing, and if you plan on doing a couple of runs, do your best to reuse the boxes. Finally, use clothes, towels, and newspapers to wrap the fragile items instead of buying paper.
Rent a moving truck from an eco-conscious company
This simple move will take a lot of pressure off your shoulders, give you enough time to reuse the same items for additional runs, do things at the most sustainable and eco-friendly pace and overall prove to be more economical than using more vehicles at the same time. If you are concerned about the costs, finding a truck hire company that uses new and fuel-efficient vehicles will help you to cut costs in other areas and will reduce the CO2 emissions you are going to produce during your repeated runs.
Keep the cleaning green
There is nothing more gratifying than moving into a new, sparkling clean house. You also want to make life easier for the new tenants of your current property and go out with style. Well, both these things can be easily accomplished even without using harsh, toxic products that pack phosphates and other dangerous substances. As a matter of fact, most of the cleaning chores can be easily pulled off with lemon, vinegar, and baking soda. If you face problems with some persistent stains, stores have eco-friendly products that can remove them in a couple of swipes.
Use eco-friendly solutions for packing
In one of the previous sections, we have mentioned that you should use available newspapers to pack what you can. But, no matter how well-read you are, that will cover only a part of the items you are going to move to your new home. As for the rest, you should do your best to skip traditional plastic products like bubble wraps and use biodegradable alternatives instead. This way, you will make sure that the waste you are going to leave behind won’t produce an environmental impact.
Find a new home for your old furniture pieces
Why wouldn’t you simply bring them with you to your new home? They can easily fit the new space, right? Well, people throw away thousands of tons of reusable furniture each year. At some point, we just want new pieces for our new homes. Selling your existing ones before relocation will cut the number of items we need to move, get rid of the waste, and help us find the pieces that better suit the new environment. Of course, you can always return the favor and buy used items.
Be very careful about recycling
If you follow all the tips we gave you, you will cut the amount of dangerous waste you are going to leave behind to a minimal level. But, in spite of all these efforts, there will be some waste you will need to take care of. So, when the time comes to get your hands dirty, do that in a conscious and eco-friendly manner. Make sure to have a plan for dropping off, divide the waste into organized groups (plastic, cables, paper, etc.), and move it to recycle facilities with the least possible level of footwork.
We hope these few tips will help you perform your next relocation in a fast, streamlined, and eco-friendly manner. The fight for a sustainable society is currently being fought on all fronts. Why wouldn’t we make our contribution the next time we need to find ourselves a new home.
