Eco-friendly moving: Reducing your move’s environmental impact

Make your move eco-friendly with practical tips to reduce waste, emissions, and costs. Discover how small changes can significantly help the environment. Every green choice counts!

6 min read

Picture this: you're standing in your soon-to-be-ex living room, surrounded by a fortress of cardboard boxes and packing tape. Exhausted, with a sore back, you question whether you really need that collection of commemorative spoons from your great-aunt Mildred. But here's something you might not have considered—your move is about to significantly impact the environment.

Moving house isn't just a pain for you; it's also a strain on Mother Nature. Every year, millions of people around the world pack up and relocate. In Australia alone, about 40% of the population moves every five years. That’s a lot of cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, and diesel-guzzling trucks crisscrossing the country.

You might think, "I'm just one person moving my stuff. How bad could it be?" Well, let's break it down.

The environmental cost of your move

First, consider the fuel consumption of moving trucks. These vehicles aren’t exactly fuel-efficient. Trucks contribute about 4% of Australia's total carbon emissions​ (Grattan Institute)​. The average long-distance move in Australia can generate between 1 to 3 tons of CO2 emissions, based on estimates from similar logistics data.

Then there's the packaging. Cardboard boxes, plastic wrap, and foam peanuts—these materials add up quickly. The average move uses about 60 boxes, translating to roughly 100 pounds of cardboard. While cardboard is recyclable, many people don’t bother, sending it straight to the landfill where it contributes to methane emissions as it decomposes​​. Plastic materials like bubble wrap and packing peanuts, which are petroleum-based, are even worse as they are not biodegradable.

Additionally, there's the energy use in both your old and new homes during the transition. Air conditioning an empty house? That's like trying to cool down the Sahara. The energy wasted during this period can add up, especially if your move takes several days or weeks.

The empty truck conundrum

But here's the kicker—the thing that really grinds my environmental gears. Empty trucks. Yep, you heard me. A significant number of moving trucks run empty or partially filled on their return trips. It's like ordering an Uber XL for just you and your chihuahua.

In fact, it’s estimated that up to 28% of truck kilometres in Australia are driven empty​ (DCCEEW)​. That’s a lot of wasted fuel and unnecessary emissions. And it's not just bad for the environment—it's bad for business too. Empty trucks mean wasted money for moving companies, which ultimately translates to higher costs for you, the consumer.

Enter findamover.com.au

This is where things get interesting (and where I subtly plug the website I’m writing this for). Enter findamover.com.au, a website that helps you find a removalist. But here's the cool part—they help movers fill empty space in trucks. It's like Tetris, but instead of colourful blocks, it’s your couch and that weird lamp your mum gave you.

By filling these empty spaces, findamover.com.au is basically giving Mother Nature a high five. Fewer empty trucks mean less fuel wasted, which means fewer emissions. It’s not going to single-handedly solve climate change, but hey, every little bit helps, right?

But how does it work? Well, it’s pretty simple. When you’re planning a move, you hop onto findamover.com.au and input your moving details. The clever algorithms then match you with moving companies that have space available on their trucks. It’s like a dating app, but for your furniture and a moving truck.

This system doesn’t just reduce emissions—it can also save you money. By helping moving companies operate more efficiently, they can offer better rates. It's a win-win situation: you save money, the moving company improves its bottom line, and the environment gets a break.

And the benefits don't stop there. By optimising truck space, findamover.com.au is also helping to reduce traffic congestion. Fewer trucks on the road mean less traffic for everyone. So next time you’re stuck in traffic, just think—it could be worse if it weren’t for efficient moving practices!

Green moving: Beyond the truck

Now, I’m not saying you should cancel your move and live in a tree to save the planet (though if you do, send pics). But there are ways to make your move a bit greener. Let's dive into some practical tips:

1. Declutter before you move: Do you really need 17 novelty mugs? The less stuff you move, the smaller your environmental impact. Plus, it's a great opportunity to donate items to charity. Check out our great article about decluttering for great tips.

2. Use eco-friendly packing materials: Ditch the bubble wrap and opt for biodegradable alternatives. You can use old newspapers, cloth, or even rent reusable plastic moving boxes. Check out our great article on sustainable packing materials for more info.

3. Get creative with packing: Use towels and linens to wrap fragile items. Pack clothes in suitcases or dresser drawers. The less new packing material you use, the better.

4. Choose the right size truck: An oversized truck wastes fuel. Use an online space calculator to estimate the size you need, or better yet, use findamover.com.au to get matched with the right size truck. See our article on moving truck hire for useful information about truck sizes.

5. Plan your route: If you’re driving to your new home, plan the most fuel-efficient route. And if you're flying, consider carbon offsetting your flight.

6. Green up your new home: Use your move as an opportunity to make your new place more energy-efficient. Install LED bulbs, low-flow showerheads, and programmable thermostats.

7. Recycle packing materials: After your move, make sure to recycle cardboard boxes and any other recyclable materials. Some moving companies will even buy back unused boxes. Check out some great bubble wrap recycling tips here.

The bigger picture

In the grand scheme of things, making your move more eco-friendly might seem like a drop in the ocean. But remember, oceans are made up of drops. And if we all do our part, maybe we can turn the tide on climate change.

The moving industry is starting to catch on. More and more companies are offering green moving services, using biodiesel in their trucks, and implementing recycling programs. Some are even using electric vehicles for local moves.

And it's not just private companies. Governments are starting to take notice too. In Australia, the government has set targets to reduce emissions from the transport sector. While these policies don't specifically target the moving industry, they're creating a ripple effect that's encouraging all transport-related businesses to green up their act​ (Grattan Institute)​​ (Green Vehicle Guide)​​ (DCCEEW)​.

The future of moving

Looking ahead, the future of moving looks pretty green. We’re seeing innovations in packaging materials, with companies developing fully biodegradable alternatives to traditional packing peanuts and bubble wrap.

Electric trucks are on the horizon too. While they’re not quite ready for long-haul moves, they’re becoming a viable option for local relocations. Imagine a world where your move doesn't contribute a single gram of CO2 to the atmosphere!

And let's not forget about the role of technology. Platforms like findamover.com.au are just the beginning. In the future, we might see AI-powered systems that can optimise moving routes across entire fleets of trucks, minimising empty trips and maximising efficiency.

Wrapping it up

So the next time you're planning a move, take a moment to think about its environmental impact. Use services like findamover.com.au to ensure you’re not contributing to the empty truck problem. It's like carpooling, but for your stuff.

Remember, every choice you make—from the moving company you choose to the way you pack your cheese grater—has an impact. By making conscious decisions, you can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of your move.

Your future self (and the polar bears) will thank you. And who knows? Maybe your eco-friendly move will inspire others to do the same. Before you know it, we could have a full-blown green moving revolution on our hands!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go figure out how to pack this life-size cardboard cutout of Michael Jordan. Moving is weird, but it doesn’t have to be wasteful.