Three Ways To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint During Your Next Move
Your carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide that is generated due to your lifestyle and consumption behaviors. Since carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, generating as little as possible is a good goal if you're interested in preserving the planet. Moving can lead to a lot of CO2 generation if you're not careful. Between the moving truck, packing supplies, and electricity use, your emissions can really add up. However, there are a few ways to decrease your carbon footprint during your next move.
Choose a "green" moving company or a fuel-efficient moving truck.
If you are driving yourself, make sure you rent a moving truck from a company that maintains a green fleet. For instance, a truck that gets 20 miles per gallon is a lot better than one that gets 10. Only rent as large of a truck as you need, since the larger trucks tend to be less fuel-efficient than the smaller ones.
If you're hiring a moving company to transport items for you, look for one that uses fuel efficient vehicles. Often, a company will advertise this on their website as they are proud to be helping the planet. You may have to look into a few companies before you find the right one, but rest assured -- plenty are making the move to efficient vehicles.
Get rid of items before you move.
Why waste gas (and generate CO2) moving items you're just going to throw away or let linger in the back of your closet for another 10 years? Go through your items before the move and get rid of anything unneeded. Donate it or give it away to friends. This may allow you to rent a smaller (more fuel-efficient) moving truck. Even if you stick with the same size truck, it takes less fuel to haul a lighter load.
Use recycled moving supplies.
CO2 is emitted during the manufacturing process of cardboard boxes, tape, and other moving supplies. So, the fewer of these supplies you use, the smaller your carbon footprint will be. Try to look for used moving boxes among friends and family members. Tie the boxes closed with any string or yarn you already have laying around instead of purchasing new tape. You can also use items like socks and towels to pad delicate items like mugs and glasses rather than using tissue paper for this task.
With the tips above, you can get into your new home with less of an impact on the environment. Talk to local movers, such as Affordable Transfer Co Inc., to see what other options they might have or if they'd be willing to work with your on minimizing your carbon footprint.