Greening Your Move

Moving is hard. It is stressful. It is exhausting. It is not sustainable.

However, there are several things you can do to have less of an impact as you cart your material belongings across the country, across the county, or across the street. The best news about this? It will probably save you some money, too.

• Rent boxes. Yes, you can rent boxes for your move, and return them when you're done to be used by the next person. Check out Rent A Green Box, who rents plastic tubs made out of recycled materials. They have other moving supplies made out of recycled materials, too, like zip ties, paper, and other fillers. (Full disclosure: I have never tried this)
• Re-use boxes. You can get gently used boxes from liquor stores, big box stores, and websites like Freecycle and the free section of Craigslist. Reinforce the tape and you're all set.
• Use your paper recycling bin to pack your stuff. I find myself with copious amounts of paper to be recycled as I prepare for a move. Use this paper to layer between plates, wrap picture frames, and ball up to fill space in boxes. Not enough? Ask your neighbors if you can go through their recycling bins, too. Also, check your local coffee shop an hour or two before closing. They often have stacks of newspaper from the day that they will give to you.
• Hire a green cleaning service. Your home will be full of dust, bits of packing paper, and who knows what else. Hire a cleaning service that uses green cleaning agents. Not sure what they use? Just ask. Look/listen for key words and phrases like "non-toxic", "chlorine-free", "Green Seal Certified", and "Green Clean Institute Certified".
• Get a one-way moving truck rental. Even if your move is between neighboring cities, a one-way truck rental can save a lot of gasoline.
• Buy offsets for your travel. Several websites offer carbon offsets for travel of all types. Try Carbon Fund or Terra Pass.
• Don't trash your boxes. After your move, put your boxes on Freecycle or the free section of Craigslist. Someone will come pick them up and use them for their move. Your boxes aren't in good enough shape to reuse? Gardeners often use cardboard to start new planting beds. You can also recycle them in most cities.