How to Pack Green – Materials

While you are preparing to pack for your move, consider that the biggest impact on the environment you can have is to be aware of the supplies and materials you use. See how you can decrease your impact and save some money on the side.

Cardboard Boxes

Probably the most used type of packing material you will need for moving are boxes. One of the best thing you can do is to try and find used boxes from friends, family, and commercial stores. A great online source, which may also save you some money, is UsedMovingBoxes.com. If you have boxes that are still in good condition after your move, you can send them to this company to be reused.

You will find some companies, such as EarthFriendlyMoving.com, which rent out durable plastic crates for moving, however, these crates are usually only available for local rather than long distance moves.

Packing Tape

The next most used type of packing material is tape. There really aren’t many options, unfortunately, when it comes to the type of tape you use for your move. To reduce your impact, try to be conservative when using it.

Foam Peanuts

Foam peanuts, also known as packing peanuts, are a loose-fill material used by movers to prevent damage to your breakable items by cradling them and flowing around to provide protection from all sides. Some of your breakable items can be packed in crumpled newspaper or used office paper instead. If you need to purchase foam peanuts, be sure to purchase the biodegradable kind, as they tend to fly everywhere during transport to a landfill. Some mailing centers and maybe even your moving company will accept foam peanuts for reuse.

Wrapping with Bubbles

Bubble wrap is most commonly used to protect breakable items that are sent with your movers. Bubble wrap has a big carbon footprint and is hard to recycle, however, some mailing service centers such as the UPS store will accept it for reuse in their shipments. You can reduce the impact of this material by using other household materials such as towels, blankets, pillows, and paper to protect your breakable items from moving.

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