Movin’ On Up To The Green Side
It’s sweaty, it’s exhausting and 43 million Americans do it every year.
What are we talking about? Relocating! Packing up, shipping out, and moving on: millions of Americans move billions of pounds of stuff from home A to home B, annually.
What is the impact of all that transit on the planet? Just think about all those moving boxes, not to mention the bubble wrap, packing peanuts and tape!
We examined some facts on cardboard waste.
Let’s start with the bad news…
- The production of one ton of new cardboard requires:
- 17 trees for the use of pulp
- 7000 gallons of water
- 462 gallons of oil
- As paper products like cardboard moving boxes decompose in landfills, they pollute the atmosphere with methane, which has 20 times the global warming potential of carbon monoxide.
- Nationwide, paper and cardboard account for 41% of all municipal solid waste.
Ready for some good news?
Cardboard is easy to recycle. Companies like Junkluggers can haul your packing materials away and keep them out of your trashcan and out of the landfill.
There are also a number of great alternatives to buying new cardboard boxes. The classic solution is to reuse boxes from your grocery store or pharmacy. However, if you’re looking for the green solution that doesn’t require rummaging in a waste container, there may be a company in your area that delivers clean, lightly used boxes right to your doorstep. We found one in our neighborhood with a quick search online.
As consumer demands for green moving solutions have grown, many forward-thinking entrepreneurs have filled the need. A simple online search will yield a variety of companies that rent out reusable moving containers. These smart green businesses will deliver crush-proof plastic containers to the doorstep of your old home for you to fill up, and then they’ll retrieve them from your new home once you’ve unpacked.
Moving can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to stress the ecosystem! Next time you’re one of those 43 million Americans on the move, consider the benefits of going green, and spend your first days in your new home feeling good.