Moving Storage: An Environmentally Friendly Option
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by: joe.moesier
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Word Count: 495
So you decided to use moving storage because you were impressed with how safe and economical it is as a moving option, and you liked how little gas it takes to transport moving storage. Storage containers are indeed an excellent green option. But youre appalled at the waste involved in packing. How can you pack your things into your moving storage container safely and securely while staying friendly to the environment?
Moving boxes are the place where you can make the greatest impact on the environment. Rather than starting your move by running out and buying a pile of boxes, check Craigslist, Freecycle, and other free boards in your area for used boxes that other people are throwing out. Even a small population center will have more boxes available than you will ever need, so place some calls, do a little extra driving, and stock up. The only boxes you will need to buy are specialty boxes like picture boxes and glassware 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 didnt have when you packed. This is also why getting boxes from grocery stores should be an emergency measure; even the cleanest groceries have roaches.)
Packing materials are another area where traditional packing generates too much waste and going green can make a sizable difference. 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 your soft furnishings run out, plastic grocery bags are excellent padding. (They arent eco friendly, but everyone has drifts of them anyway, so you may as well use what you have.) Newspapers are another superb green packing material. If you already went green by canceling paper deliveries and reading the paper online, run your junk mail through the shredder instead.
Depending on the make of your moving storage container and how full you packed it, you might need to tie your boxes down with rope. Again, reusing others rope is a good option. However, if you must buy rope, choose a type of rope that is made of natural fibers, such as cotton or hemp, or a recyclable synthetic such as nylon.
Packing your moving storage container in an eco friendly way requires a little more effort and consciousness than the old wasteful way. However, green packing materials are just as good at protecting your belongings, and are far better for the environment. When you are done, your moving storage container will be not only a green moving option, but a green option, period.
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