How To Make Your Move Eco-Friendly?
Feb 10, 2023
During a house move, cardboard, plastic and paper waste is expected because it is the best time for decluttering. This waste is also a result of excessive usage of packing materials like moving boxes, bubble wraps, plastic bags, tape, etc.
Even if you hire
professional removalists in Adelaide, you can still generate waste that ends up in landfills and contributes to Australia’s waste management problem.
According to the National Waste Report (2022), approximately 5.8 Mt of paper and cardboard was generated in Australia the previous year. Therefore, the need of the hour is to reduce waste and dispose of it responsibly.
You must take measures to avoid impacting the environment while moving and prevent land, air and water pollution. Learn how to relocate eco-friendly following green moving tips by experts.
Thus, read on to find the best ways to sustainably move to a new home.
Use Green Packing Materials
There are some packing materials like moving boxes which you cannot avoid using. However, there are green substitutes for other materials. For example, you can
- Use Greenwrap instead of traditional bubble wrap, which is biodegradable, compostable and recyclable.
- Eco-friendly packing tape without plastic.
- Compostable packing bags made from plant-based materials.
- Corrugated boxes that can be recycled 7-10 times to make new moving boxes.
- Mushroom cell-divides instead of non-degradable ones for packing wine and alcohol bottles.
If you hire removalists in Adelaide, see if they use green packing materials and recycle supplies to reduce waste.
Rent A Green Moving Vehicle & Avoid Round-Trips
You can look for green moving companies for renting a moving truck or van run on eco-friendly fuel. It helps reduce
greenhouse gas emissions which are much higher when you travel and move your things in a conventional vehicle that uses petrol or diesel. Additionally, reduce fuel usage by renting the right-sized moving truck to prevent round trips.
Note: If you plan to hire professional removalists in Adelaide, ensure they have green moving vehicles.
Declutter & Downsize Significantly
A house move is a perfect opportunity for you to pare down and start living minimally. Most people have the habit of buying appliances, tools, clothes, and homeware that they really don’t need. Additionally, if you live in a house for over a year, you can accumulate many unwanted and useless things.
By decluttering and
downsizing your home, you can reduce your moving load and your carbon footprint. When you have fewer things, your energy, gas, and water consumption is less, meaning you use fewer resources.
Donate & Resell Unwanted Belongings
After decluttering and downsizing, ensure you keep things in good condition for donating and reselling. These measures ensure electronics, furniture, clothes, and homeware don’t end up in a landfill.
Therefore, see which local charities you can give away your things. Just make sure they are registered with the
Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission. For reselling things, you can host an offline garage sale or use online platforms like Gumtree, Craigslist, Garage Sale Trail etc.
Get Creative While Packing
Besides buying green packing supplies, get creative and identify things in your home you can use for wrapping and securing your belongings. You can stuff empty space in moving boxes with newspaper and even use it to wrap picture frames, glassware, utensils etc.
Additionally, you can
pack big screen TV, furniture, appliances and bulky items in bedsheets or blankets to make them easier to move for your hired removalists in Adelaide. Here are other ways you can get creative while packing.
- Keep small items like accessories, jewellery and more inside Ziploc bags.
- Line moving boxes with garbage bags to prevent moisture from seeping inside.
- Use socks, pillow covers, and other items to wrap household items.
- Make sure of suitcases, travel bags, zipper bags, and plastic containers with lids for storing things safely.
Return/Resell Moving Boxes
Many reputed removalists in Adelaide offer box buy back solution. This solution enables homeowners and renters to return used or unused moving boxes and get a refund. You can arrange a pick-up or drop-off for these boxes after the house move and unpacking.
What’s more, to ensure moving boxes in good condition are reused, you can sell them to someone in need at an economical rate. This method helps recycle the packing supplies and prevent them from ending in landfills.
Dispose Of Waste Responsibly
Be mindful of waste generated before and after moving to segregate it correctly and dispose of it responsibly. Before moving to the new house, collect plastic, organic and paper waste in separate bags. See what you can dispose of through your daily or weekly local garbage service.
Also, contact your local waste management and recycling centre for disposing plastic containers, cardboard boxes, and chemicals. They can help guide you to dispose of these items yourself or get them dropped off at their facility for recycling. Repeat this process after you have unpacked and settled in your new home because you will have new cardboard, plastic and paper clutter to throw away.
Wrapping Up
While moving house you can generate excessive waste consisting of plastic bottles, containers, boxes, wraps, etc. Organic waste is also common while moving because you must dispose of unconsumed food or drinks. Therefore, you have to dispose of waste responsibly. Additionally, take the green moving measures shared above to ensure you can move to your new home sustainably.
