There is always a lot to consider when moving, from packing to organising removalists to changing your address in official records. But one important factor that often goes overlooked is the impact you have on the environment whenever you undertake a change in residence. Moving always results in an abundance of resources, materials, waste, and petrol being generated, but there are ways to ensure your move is as eco-friendly as possible.
Overseas Packers & Shippers are international moving experts who care about the impact we leave on the environment around us. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of handy tips, so your next move won’t be a disruption to our planet.
Donate What You No Longer Need
One of the benefits of moving is that you have the opportunity to downsize your belongings to only include what you truly want or need. However, instead of simply throwing out old clothes, appliances, and pieces of furniture, choose to donate or sell them so they can continue to be used without building up waste. You can donate a variety of goods to op shops, while creating a garage sale or selling your goods online will help them move to a new home while you can make some extra money on the side.
Properly Dispose of Older Belongings
It only makes sense that you’ll want to declutter your belongings, throwing out older objects, appliances, and pieces of furniture when you move. But it’s vital that you follow the appropriate guidelines for disposing of each item so your impact on the environment will be either non-existent, or as minimal as possible.
Hazardous chemicals and certain electronics may need to be sent to specific disposal locations or collected by the council to be dealt with properly. Paints, batteries, and certain white appliances can’t just be thrown in your waste bin. As an alternative, you will need to appropriately dispose of these materials through government and non-government agencies.
Paintback is an organisation with stations all around Australia that accepts old paint to be reused and disposed of properly. You can donate up to 100 litres of paint in a single visit and they will take care of deciding how best to environmentally dispose of it.
PlanetArk is one of Australia’s most respected recycling companies, finding eco-friendly solutions to disposing of materials and waste. Always make sure you check the labels on your goods to see if they can be recycled, and if certain instructions need to be followed before the item is appropriate for recycling (such as removing any traces of food).
Hazardous chemicals can be collected by your local council or dropped off at your nearby recycling centre (just remember to first research that your recycling facility collects hazardous chemicals).
Plan as Few Trips as Possible
Whether you’re moving just up the road or to the other side of the world, plan your move to be completed in as few trips as possible. Each back-and-forth trip by car, truck, plane, or boat emits more and more harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere resulting in air that’s unhealthy to breath and the potential for hazardous weather conditions.
Thankfully there are ways to mitigate this harm. Pack your car to the best of your ability with smaller boxes and items, and make sure you hire a truck or trailer big enough to carry all of your larger appliances and pieces of furniture in just the one trip. This will save you time and money and will save the environment from taking on any unnecessary harmful gases.
Get in Touch
Overseas Packers & Shippers are an Australian-based team of professional and experienced international movers that can help manage your overseas move in a way that is eco-friendly, affordable, and efficient. To find out more, reach out today on 1300 732 686!
