Green movement initiatives have emerged across nearly all consumer sectors. As a result, more companies appear to be making efforts towards reducing their carbon footprint on the planet. Going green has taken businesses by a storm. The demand for environmentally friendly services and products continues to grow.
Resulting in an immense amount of marketing campaigns (“greenwashing”). Perpetuating this practice to help their company increase product sales by appealing to ecologically conscious buyers. An eco-conscious consumer is perpetually concerned with the environment above all else. Including higher costs that come with eco-friendly products and services.
Don’t always believe the hype. Just because a potentially reputable source is claiming to be so, doesn’t mean they are. Do your own research to be in the know of what is in fact the absolute truth. The following is a case in point. Many “Green” moving companies integrated plastic containers to replace cardboard boxes in an attempt to reduce their carbon footprint on our Planet. Is this environmentally-friendly moving? Some of the claims are:
- Plastic bins are durable. Can be used up to 400 times.
- Plastic bins require no additional material to seal. Cardboard boxes that require tape.
- Plastic bins are easily stack-able on top of each other for space utilization.
- Plastic bins are cost-effective.
- Plastic bins are a more environmentally friendly moving choice.
Lets evaluate these statements a little closer.
- Plastic bins that can be used up to 400 times, can greatly put consumers at risk of contracting bed bugs, cockroach eggs and germs from previous users, due to failed proper sterilization.
- Plastic bins require no extra material. But packing difficulty can be expected with the one-size-fits all approach of plastic containers. Which often times deem unpractical for irregular shapes.
- Plastic bins, because of their identical shape and stack-able lids allow for convenient storage. However, lifting and transporting plastic bins can become heavy. Making it difficult to load them onto the truck quickly and efficiently. Moreover, heavy plastic bins stacked on top of one another makes them vulnerable to break, crack and cave.
- Plastic bins are cost-effective?! On the contrary plastic bins can become quite expensive. Costing much more than cardboard boxes. The time constraint on renting them is usually two weeks. This doesn’t allow for long-term storage or unpacking at your own convenience.
- Exceeding that time-frame will result in additional charges. There are moving companies that offer brand new boxes free of cost when using their moving services. Resulting in a more environmentally-friendly moving?
- Plastic is the result of a complex process called polymerization. Plastic does not corrode or biodegrade like its counterpart. Cardboard box has a lifespan of less than four weeks. Plastic takes almost twice as much energy to create than cardboard. If it not recycled it is more than likely it will end up at an incinerator.
- In the event that plastic bins are recycled, the product is then broken down and remodeled. Greatly reducing it’s unity. Prompting “green” movers to supply plastic bins made from raw materials rather than recycled. Numerous studies have also shown the actual process of recycling to burn more energy and produce more pollution than it saves.
- Out of all the waste generated in the U.S. in a single year, only 35% is being recovered. Thirty million tons of that waste is plastic. Only two million tons recovered annually. The rest fills our landfills, incinerators and pollutes our oceans. Burning plastic in incinerators releases toxic heavy metals and chemical. Such as cadmium, lead and dioxins. Harming human health and the environment. Incinerators are one of the largest sources of dioxin identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- Dioxins are a class of 75 most potent synthetic chemicals ever tested. It causes cancer and harms our immune system at even the lowest concentration. Once emitted into the environment, toxins don’t stay local. They travel vast distances via air, which makes them a global contaminant.
- Even the most technologically advanced incinerators that have air pollution control filters capture some of the pollutants but they do not eliminate them. These pollutants are transferred to other by-products, such as ash and wastewater that are then released into the environment.
Environmentally-friendly moving? Decide for yourself and don’t take our word for it. Always do your own research.