Sustainable Moving Companies
It isn’t always easy to find moving companies who have developed solutions for a green move, so moving in an eco-friendly way can be an overwhelming task. Environmentally conscious movers do exist though, as do green commercial storage solutions.
Movers, Not Shakers! is committed to the environment as much as we’re committed to our customers. We’re proud to be the number one green moving company in New York City, handling both residential moving and commercial moving and storage.
How you move is up to you
Eco-Friendly Moving
Anyone who’s ever drowned in cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape knows that moving and storage can be very wasteful. On top of all the packing materials, trucks burn a lot of fuel while moving from here to there. It’s natural to wonder how to have a green move that doesn’t create so much waste.
In residential moving, you can take the first step toward a green move even before calling a moving company. One option for non-recyclable items is to host a yard sale. Another great option is to sell or give your items away on social media. Using apps also makes it easy to give away or sell clothing, furniture, knickknacks, and more. Knowing your well-loved possessions will have another life in a new home feels great. Besides the benefits of decluttering your space, you can bring in extra cash to spend on your new place.
Keeping things out of the trash is an essential part of having a green move. Even better, it saves money later on moving and storage costs. (It can also be good inspiration to minimize and buy less in the future.)
Donation ServicesÂ
Things you can’t sell might still be reusable or recyclable, but it’s not always easy to know where to take things for proper disposal. Electronic waste accounts for a majority of the toxins found in landfills. Meanwhile, fast fashion and other textiles are among the leading producers of greenhouse gas.
Movers Not Shakers works with groups in New York City to donate and rehome unwanted belongings from residential moving. Our partners (such as Wearable Collections) help ensure that usable items go directly to people who need them instead of into the trash.
Just set aside items you no longer want or need. Movers Not Shakers green movers assist in connecting them to organizations who reuse the items or dispose of them properly. This helps reduce the negative environmental impact of your moving and storage.
Plastic Moving Bins
Once you’ve freed yourself of unneeded belongings, it’s time to pack. Conscientious movers will plan to recycle their packing supplies, like cardboard boxes. Most soft plastics, like bubble wrap, are not recyclable though, and will likely end up in a landfill.
One easy step toward a green move is to reduce waste with reusable and recyclable items. By reusing cardboard boxes and other packing materials in residential moving, you also save money by not purchasing new supplies.
You can also eliminate or significantly reduce the need for single-use plastics by choosing recycled newspaper or other eco-friendly packaging. Wrap up dishes in dish towels or T-shirts, for example, or use pillows and other bedding to cushion electronics. If you do buy new boxes or packing materials, be sure to pass them onto someone else when you’re done (social media works well for this, too). We encourage you to reuse first, then recycle items wherever possible.
To reduce waste, Movers Not Shakers provides reusable bins. Our plastic bins are perfect for green movers because they are durable, protective, and easily filled, sealed, and stacked. One week before your move, we deliver the bins to your door so you can pack in a more efficient and eco-friendly manner. On moving day, we wrap your furniture and move the bins you have packed. After you’ve unpacked, we’ll pick up the empty bins.Â
If you prefer, we can pack for you. We’ve packed and moved it all: from chandeliers and grandfather clocks to grand pianos and precious pieces of art— plus all the basics. If you find yourself temporarily between places, we also provide residential and commercial storage solutions.Â
Green movers like Movers Not Shakers reduce the carbon footprint of your move while getting the job done. Affordable, waste-conscious methods help make moving a more positive and less stressful experience for you and your community.
Driving with Biofuel
The waste entailed in moving and storage doesn’t happen only on site. Moving trucks burn through a lot of fuel, whether traveling long distances on highways or going shorter distances in city settings. Vehicle emissions add up! This is why Movers Not Shakers trucks run on biodiesel rather than traditional gasoline or diesel.
So what is biodiesel? Simply put, biodiesel is fuel made from renewable or recyclable items like restaurant grease, vegetable oils, or animal fats. Biodiesel is biodegradable and emits far fewer byproducts into the air than traditional fossil fuels. Using biodiesel, along with other techniques for conserving fuel, Movers Not Shakers helps keep harmful greenhouse gas emissions to a minimum.
Green Washing Process
Movers Not Shakers also uses a green washing process (not to be confused with the less positive term greenwashing).
We wash our trucks with recycled gray water—non-sewage wastewater from New York’s sinks, baths, and laundry machines. Reusing water for irrigation and other activities is an important step toward overall water conservation. Collecting and using gray water also helps reduce runoff and pollution in New York’s rivers and waterways.
Fair Labor
Caring for the environment also means caring for people. Our experienced workers and drivers earn a living wage and have deep local knowledge of the New York metro area. Many of our teams have worked together for years, so they can work efficiently while handling your goods with care. The crew who packs and loads the truck is also the crew who delivers. You can trust us, whether you’re moving into a studio walk-up or a luxury penthouse.
To sum it up, a green move requires an eco-friendly moving company that knows the area. The company must know residential moving, commercial storage solutions, and everything in between. For over 20 years and 20,000 moves, we at Movers Not Shakers have been helping New Yorkers make fresh starts in an eco-friendly way.
Choose Movers Not Shakers as Your Eco-Friendly Moving Company
Are you or a friend moving to, from, or within New York in the near future? Movers Not Shakers is the city’s number one green moving company, specializing in eco-friendly moves. Call us at (800) 718-0081 or contact us online today.
