Ideas on minimizing the environmental impact of your move
Ideas on minimizing the environmental impact of your move
17 May 2022
Of the many considerations you’ll have to face when relocating, the impact on the environment is probably not first and foremost. But think about it: you’ll require a mountain of materials from paper to wood and even plastic. An amazing amount of fuel will be needed to power trucks, steamships, and possibly an airline flight.
Feeling guilty? Discouraged? Don’t be. We have some quick and easy ideas on how you can make your environmental impact as gentle as possible.
- Take stock of what you need versus what you can discard. Moving is a perfect time to get rid of all that stuff that you never use anymore. Someone out there could probably use it, some might even be grateful for it.
There are many charities that can help. In Hong Kong, we have worked closely with Crossroads for many years now. Wonderful people doing wonderful things for those in need. There are plenty of other charities so contact us and we’ll point you in the right direction. Or you can check out the links below:
- With few exceptions, you can’t take food or food products. Don’t be tempted; just donate them to programs like Feeding Hong Kong.
- Ask your mover about their recycling programs. At Asian Tigers, we have been recycling all our paper and wood products for many years now. We also shifted to reusable plastic bins (for moves within Hong Kong) years back and saved many trees by doing so!
- Ask if they use recycled carton boxes. This one is a bit trickier but if we spot clean, sturdy and lightly used paper carton boxes (the basic moving staple) we make that an option to our clients.
- IKEA to the rescue: If you have any old IKEA furniture, consider the IKEA Furniture Buy-back campaign. This is a campaign that offers IKEA furniture a second life. Click here for more information about the whole process.
- The Salvation Army, furniture donation internationally. They welcome both organization and personal donations. If you want to donate furniture, contact their local office. Use Hong Kong as an example; part of the donated goods will be directly helping people in need, such as home alone elderly, street sleepers, etc. If the goods you donate are heavy items or large quantities, it will provide pick-up services.
If you would like assistance with shipping or relocation support, contact your local Asian Tigers office or reach out to us via our online contact us.
If you found this article interesting, you might also be interested in taking a look at:
- 8 Things to Consider When Calculating International Moving Costs – Part 1
- Learn From My Shipping Mistakes (So You Don’t Make Them Too)
- Set Yourself Up For A Successful Expat Experience
- Expat Life – Moving Abroad During Covid-19.
Links to organizations mentioned in this story:
Crossroads Foundation HK – https://www.crossroads.org.hk/global-distribution/donate-goods/
The Salvation Army – https://www.salvation army.org.hk/en/services/donate
