Moving Storage: An Environmentally Friendly Option
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by: joe.moesier
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Word Count: 550
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. However, the waste involved in packing your belongings horrifies you. 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 giving in to the temptation of convenience and buying a stack of new boxes from the moving company, check Freecycle, Craigslist, and other classifieds sections in your area for used boxes that people are giving away for free or for cheap. 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. You can probably avoid buying any boxes at all except for specialty boxes like glassware boxes and large picture 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. Getting used boxes from the grocery store should also be an emergency measure, since even the cleanest grocery store has roaches.)
Packing materials are another area where traditional packing generates too much waste and going green can make a sizable difference. Recycle others packing materials if you can, and make heavy use of towels, clothes, and other soft, fluffy items you already have. 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. Used rope is yet another packing material you might be able to pick up from people who just finished moving. 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 environmentally friendly way takes a little more care and consciousness than the old traditional method of using new boxes and packing peanuts. However, the end result is just as safe for your belongings, and far better for the rest of the world. When you finish the cycle by handing your used packing materials on to the next person who needs to move, using a moving storage container will not only be a green moving option, it will be a green option, period. References Storage and moving ... Self-storage ... Pod storage ... Storage ...
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