Eco friendly packing materials are becoming a must in today’s day and age. Our planet is polluted enough and people are finally coming to their senses. A plastic bag takes 1000 years to degrade but you only use it once and you throw it away. Make sure that you buy eco-friendly products from good stores online to be sure that you are doing no harm to the environment. Using eco friendly packing materials is much better for us as people and for our planet. If you don’t already know that there are biodegradable packing materials, we are here to tell you all you need to know about it and where you can find it in case you decide to move.
Difference between eco friendly packing materials and regular packing material
The difference between eco friendly packing materials and regular packing material is huge. Not only does it degrade much faster and keeps our environment clean, but it is also much cheaper as it is made from recycled materials. And we know that affordable packing supplies are easy to find but using eco friendly moving supplies is much better for obvious reasons. Have in mind that regular cardboard boxes take around three months to degrade so using regular cardboard boxes isn’t bad at all for the environment. But things such as plastic bags, tape, and foil can do a lot of harm. We are going to give you some alternatives for them that you can use during your next move.
An alternative for cardboard boxes
Even though cardboard boxes don’t do much harm, there is an alternative for them. Many moving companies rent out reusable plastic storage bins and boxes. You can rent them for a however long you need them whether your move is local or long-distance. The only thing you have to do after you move is send them back to the moving company you rented them from and pay for the service. Once you do that, they are ready to be used by the next customer and so on. This is the best way to have a successful eco-friendly move. Have in mind that these reusable boxes are made from eco friendly plastic and they are very sturdy. They are waterproof and they will also keep your belongings much safer than cardboard boxes.
What about plastic foil?
When you are moving, plastic foil is used to protect furniture from getting damages like scratches and to keep the dirt and water away. But foil isn’t good for our environment at all. Most petroleum plastic takes a thousand years to break down, but even then, it won’t decompose into useful nutrients, it just turns into infinitely smaller pieces of plastic that stick around forever making our planet dirtier and more polluted. It is crazy to think that in a thousand years, the foil you used to protect your couch might be floating around in the ocean still. What you can do to prevent that from happening is use what you already have at home. Towels, blankets, bedsheets, or basically any material that you have laying around. Maybe it won’t keep the water away but it will for sure keep your furniture from being ruined. Going green in this economy can actually be good for you.
Bubble pack alternative
Bubble pack is used to protect breakable items but it isn’t very eco friendly as it is also made out of plastic. Instead of using bubble pack, listen to our previous tip. You can wrap your breakable items in towels, blankets, sheets, clothing items, etc. This way you will also have much less stuff to pack. The less stuff you have to pack into the more money you are saving.
Packing peanuts are very harmful too
Packing peanuts don’t seem like they do much damage but they do. Many sea and land animals choke on packing peanuts as it resembles a lot like some sort of food. People use packing peanuts to fill the left free space in the box so your belongings don’t break and tumble around. What you can use is recycled and bio-degradable paper. Just wrinkle it up and fill the empty space you have in your box. This is a great tip for those who are renting storage so get informed before hiring storage services if they can provide you with this kind of paper that you can use.
Does hiring a moving company help to make your move eco-friendly?
Yes, it does. Many people just use a pickup truck or they drive their own cars to save up on moving expenses. But this process means they have to take numerous trips which means more air pollution. So why not simply hire a moving company that will move your stuff for you in one take and make it much easier?
Where to find eco friendly packing materials?
There are many companies that make eco friendly packing materials. You can look it up online or even ask around. This type of material isn’t expensive so even if you are moving on a budget, you will be able to afford it. There are many ways to make your move a green one.
Can’t find eco friendly packing materials near you?
If you live in a smaller town, big chances are that you won’t find this type of packing supplies. What you can do is ask around your friends and family if they have any cardboard boxes that you could use. A great way to find cardboard boxes is to ask the employees in your local supermarket if they have any empty boxes laying around. This way you won’t be spending money on packing materials and you will be helping the environment. After you finish using your cardboard moving boxes, make sure you recycle them. They will use those boxes to make eco-friendly ones.