Greening your moving trash

Moving creates a ton of trash, doesn't it? And not just trash, but also piles of things you have no wish to take with you. What can you do with it all? What are some ways to stay green while disposing of unwanted items when you move?

Have a yard sale. The more items people have to buy new, the more resources they use. Price it low so that they're more likely to buy it. After all, the object isn't to make a profit, it's to reduce the amount of things you have to dispose of.

Dropping your used, unwanted items off at a local thrift store has dual benefits. Doing so keeps them from wasting away at the landfill, which is decidedly green. You'll also bring more money into the community through their sales.

Maybe you'd rather donate your goods to a local charity, such as a homeless shelter? If so, call ahead first to see what they'll accept. There are also those donation boxes you'll often see in shopping plaza parking lots. Either way, they'll be put to good use. And either is always an environmentally friendly alternative.

You can drop large branches, etc. off at a business that makes mulch. Vegetable scraps that you've generated while packing and getting ready can go to someone who does composting, if you really want to go all green with the move.

What about the actual trash? If you really want to dispose of it in a green manner, make sure that it's all just trash. Sort out the recyclables. Fold and tie the cardboard for pick-up. If there's any lawn trash involved, bundle it according to city specification.

Try not to create future trash while moving.

Wrap fragile items in towels to cut down on paper use. You have to bring the towels anyway. Might as well put them to good use.

Leave clothes in dresser drawers for the move instead of using additional boxes. Remove the drawers for carrying, then slide them back into the dresser and secure them for the move.

You can do the same with bookshelves. Just lay them on the floor and fill them with the books that go on them. Other items can be stacked on top of them and it saves boxes.

If you think green with all of your moving activities, you can likely come up with other ways to be conserve resources while moving. Just ask yourself, “How can I do this greener?” Chances are, you'll come up with more green moving solutions on your own.