By: Suzie Vance

Alternative, Green Packaging Materials You Can Use on Moving day

Awareness of greenhouse gas emissions is at an all-time high, and industries and individuals are conscious of their impact on the environment. Inarguably, one of the biggest culprits to the increasing carbon footprints is packaging materials used by businesses and individuals on the move.

So, how do you ensure you are playing your role to reduce harm to the planet? When the time to move houses or business premises comes, what green packaging options are at your disposal?

The good news is that eco-friendly packaging materials are never in short supply. They are all around. Look around your home and ask your neighbors for things you can use to pack up your items and move.

Here are ideas of green packaging materials you can use when moving:

Use the containers you have

The first place you should look for packing supplies is the containers you already have. You can use countless options, such as grocery bags, duffel bags, backpacks, hampers, and laundry baskets. A clean garbage bin can fit a sizable amount of your stuff. Just be creative with your packaging.

Old newspapers

Instead of purchasing packing paper, use your old newspapers to wrap the fragile equipment such as glassware, dishes, and others. However, some people may not recall the last time they bought a newspaper, and their supply may be low. In such a case, contact your local newspaper office and purchase a bundle for cheap.

Reuse Cardboard Boxes

The number of single-use cardboard boxes thrown away by local businesses and individuals is plentiful, contributing to landfills. You can get these for free or on the cheap.

Ask for these boxes from your friends, relatives, and local shops or factories, and they’ll gladly give or sell them to you.

Cardboard boxes for large products such as refrigerators are ideal for wrapping kitchen equipment into a single load. The small boxes can pack stuff such as stationery, toiletries, and electronics. Use eco-friendly packing tape to seal the boxes.

So, what do you do with all these boxes after unpacking? Throwing them away is not an eco-friendly option, but you can always resell these boxes online. If they become unusable, check the recycling guidelines of your new location for options. What does the local recycling facility accept?

Use Box Rentals

Rental plastic bins are excellent for reducing carbon footprints. The option is convenient, and you get awesome, professional packing boxes for your different stuff.

To rent a box, provide the number of rooms you need to pack to the renting company, and they’ll drop off the bins at your place. Some will often pick these bins up at your new location to reduce wasting time and resources.

Biodegradable Packaging

Some states, such as New York, are preventing the use of styrofoam, and others are looking to follow suit. Styrofoam is not biodegradable and can harm marine life when it finds its way to waterways.

Traditionally, styrofoam was a popular packaging for fragile equipment when moving. But now there are better eco-friendly materials, such as the following.

• Packaging materials such as biodegradable packing peanuts have come of age and are great alternatives. The materials quickly decompose in water and leave no harmful traces. Cornstarch or wheat-made packaging is one of the options growing in popularity for the environmentally conscious.
• On the other hand, most people never think about the impact that packing tape has on the environment, but the little things can also contribute to harming the environment. Recycled paper tape is an excellent alternative to use with biodegradable packing.
• Inflatable air pillows produced from recycled and biodegradable materials are excellent alternatives to styrofoam. These fill the empty spaces in your packing boxes to cushion your items.
• If you’re looking to avoid the controversy associated with cornstarch packaging, use mushroom packaging. The eco-friendly alternative uses a matrix of mushroom roots to fuse ground agricultural waste and mold to any suitable shape. After moving, you can compost the packaging at home to break it down into non-harmful organic matter.
• Like mushroom packaging, seaweed packaging is a great green package. The material is sustainable and the next best thing in green packaging.

Use the items you already have to pack

Broken kitchen equipment such as pots and glasses is the last thing you want to see when unpacking. Use items you already have to pack and cushion the delicate equipment from the shaking associated with moving.

• Use blankets, towels, and sheets to wrap the glass and china
• Paper shred and the green wrap are a great cushioning option as well

Hire a Committed Moving Company to Eco-friendliness

Your choice of moving company should demonstrate a commitment to green moving to support your efforts. They will give a hand with ideas on moving with the least environmental impact. Play your role today to reduce the harm to the environment.