Moving Supplies Our Land Fills

It's a vicious circle. The more we recycle the more waste we seem to create. Certainly the moving populations of the US add to the cycle of waste with all of our moving boxes and supplies being used once, maybe twice, before heading off to the nearest landfill. How can we get a head of our waste by truly recycling it?

The out-dated chart provided by Biocycle, shows the waste per person hovers around 1 ton. One ton, that is 2240 lbs. To put it into context, I believe the classic VW Bug weighed about 2,600 lbs. Imagine if China and India produced the same amount per person. With the US population nearing 305 MM consumers we are the mere fraction of China's total head count of 1.3 BN with India close behind at 1.1 BN. The world is 6.6 BN. The two largest countries contain 36% of the people and scores of these folks are just getting the opportunity to live like the developed west which means highly developed waste - yikes.

At one ton of trash per person in the US, it's a wonder we can (safely?) dispose of our waste fast enough, and out of sight.

"Necessity is the mother of all invention"

Recently launched, the guys at EarthFriendlyMoving.com haven't come up with an invention but a process for what I think is the most revolutionary process of recycling moving supplies. I am sure their methods will inspire other industries to take a second look at what they are tossing each day. BoxQuest applauds EarthFriendlyMoving.com for truly recycling our trash. We can all learn from these guys! Listen in...

A YEARLY SNAPSHOT OF U.S. (municipal) WASTE & RECYCLING

Data source: BIOCYCLE / Table & Conversion: ZWA

Survey of Previous Year	U.S. Population	(mostly) MunicipalWaste Generated (tons)	Increase	Percentage Recycled	Tons Disposed	Tons Disposed Per Person
1990	246,819,230	269,000,000	---------	8%	247,480,000	1.002
1991	249,439,545	293,613,000	+24,613,000	11.5%	259,847,000	1.041
1992	252,124,362	280,675,000	-12,938,000	14%	241,380,000	0.957
1993	255,001,827	291,742,000	+11,067,000	17%	242,146,000	0.949
1994	257,752,702	306,866,000	+15,124,000	19%	248,561,000	0.964
1995	260,292,437	322,879,000	+16,013,000	23%	248,617,000	0.955
1996	262,760,639	326,709,000	+3,830,000	27%	238,498,000	0.907
1997	265,179,411	327,460,000	+1,751,000	28%	235,771,000	0.890
1998	267,636,061	340,466,000	+13,006,000	30%	238,326,000	0.890
1999	272,690,813	374,631,000	+34,165,000	31.5%	267,108,215	0.979
2000	280,000,000 estimate	382,594,000	+7,963,000	33%	256,338,000	0.661
2001	286,345,000	409,029,000	+26,435,000	32%	278,139,720	0.979

Paper and paperboard products include items you use every day—newspapers, food packaging, tissues, cardboard boxes, office paper, and paper plates. In fact, paper and paperboard products constitute the largest portion of municipal solid waste (MSW). As the greatest portion of the waste stream, paper also offers the greatest opportunity for recycling. Today, consumers buy recycled paper in newspapers, food packages, and office paper—some containing as much as 100 percent recycled fiber. Other uses of recovered paper include insulation, gypsum wallboard, fertilizer bags, and mulch.

Just the Facts

• At about 36 percent, paper and paperboard products constitute the largest portion of the MSW stream.
  
• Americans generated nearly 82 million tons of paper products in the MSW stream in 2001, nearly a three-fold increase from 1960.
  
• About 45 percent of all paper and paperboard products in MSW were recovered in 2001, nearly two-and-a-half times the percentage recovered in 1960.
  
• Recycling rates (2001):
  
  • Corrugated Boxes: 70 percent
  • Newspapers: 60 percent
    
  • Office Paper: 55 percent
    
  • Magazines: 32 percent
    
  • Telephone Directories: 15 percent

Paper Making and Recycling

To make paper, a paper mill loads debarked and chipped wood into a large tank called a digester. The digester pressure cooks the chipped wood with water and a mixture of chemicals. The chips then stew in a chemical mix under pressure. The resulting pulp is washed, refined, and cleaned. In a separate process, the mill mixes shredded recycled paper with water, then cooks and cleans the mixture to create pulp. The paper mill blends in a certain percentage of pulp from recycled paper, depending on the desired characteristics of the finished product.

Paper reprocessors are very selective about the materials they use to make recycled-content products. High-grade papers like white office paper have long fibers, while low-grade papers like mixed paper have shorter fibers. Processors cannot mix low-grade papers with high-grade papers if they want to manufacture high-grade recycled-content white office paper. In the field of paper and paperboard recycling, the most preferable form of recycling is "first-tier" recycling, such as using recovered newspapers to make new newsprint. Therefore, paper mills commonly seek single-grade recycled paper. Corrugated cardboard, newspapers, and office papers are the most common single-grade waste streams (i.e., no other paper is mixed in, making it easier to "close the loop").

Are You Responsible?

You may have seen this on ABC News a couple of days ago. I've yet to explore the counter arguments or the hole-punchers for this simplified examination of our options as a human race, but regardless I'd recommend taking a few minutes to view this thought provoking clip about proposing an end to the climate change debate entitled: How It All Ends. Check it out then read on...



Ok, so you're back. No matter the outcome, I think the major takeaway is responsibility. Regardless of the world's belching population size, the excessive amounts of money one may have, the mere silver of time our lives equate to in the grand scheme of history, it's not about about quantity, affordable and time, it's about responsibility. To be repetitive, we all have a responsibility to continue making changes to be smarter in the way we live and ultimately leave the planet. Can we depart the big blue marble a better place than we found it? I like to think of it as no trace camping - it ain't going to be perfect but it's the attempt that counts.

We are all responsible to the effort of changing how we live and do business if we stand any chance of surviving ourselves. All business, including BoxQuest, need to move the needle in the right direction. BoxQuest is further committing to this responsibility and will start reaching out to other organizations and businesses to establish a partnership for providing additional moving options that are more reusable packing material.

The Reality of Reuse vs. Recycling

When it comes to recycling, every tree cut for the manufacturer of corrugated cardboard boxes, ultimately ends up as solid waste or is incinerated. Even if wood fiber does not reach the waste stream after its first because it has been used several times due to recycling, it does not solve the core problem of solid waste. Thus, the method of reuse is superior to recycling when it comes to sustainability.

The EPA has established that the number one way to reduce solid waste in landfills is by reuse. The method of reuse has been deemed far superior to that of recycling.

Most of us care about saving time, money and our world, so BoxQuest in the coming months will strive to provide a more cost effective and sustainable option for moving materials. We realize there will always be a need for corrugated moving boxes, but we want to make the concerted effort of providing the best options available on the market; taking on the responsiblity of leaving no trace.

Stay tuned...

Moving in the Winter

Moving at any point in the year is difficult enough, especially when the weather is at its worst. If you absolutely have to move during the winter you may be able to use the weather/season to your advantage when it comes time to negotiation the contract.

Definitely schedule your move before or after the major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Ramadan, etc... Moving just after a holiday can be convenient so you can bundle your holiday celebration with a bon voyage.

Summer is the best time to move because of the weather, kids being out of school, more day light hours and availability of friends and family to help out vs. the holiday season when everyone is booked with festivities. For these reasons summer is the peak season so winter rates should be lower; again be sure to check with your moving company.

One interesting difference between summer and winter is the level of service. In the summer months students replace full-time experienced movers which could mean the difference of expertise for specialized type moves.

It you have to move in the winter here are a few tips to help you out:

* Always drive a truck slower than you would drive a car. Keep on top of quickly changing weather conditions by staying tuned to weather reports while loading the truck and during your journey.

* Prepare for the worst. Make sure your points of departure and arrival have a path to the truck that's free of snow or ice. Keep shovels and other ice and snow removal tools handy.

* If you are driving the moving truck yourself definitely
- contact a road service club like AAA to get the latest on construction. Coupled with weather, your travel could be extra long.
- Check the weather websites in advance so you can prepare properly: snow chains, shovels, etc...
- Look-up the AM traffic stations for your route so you can get updates every 10 minutes.

* Snow often creates a slushy mess. Arrange for carpet and/or floor protection at your destination.

* Always have a supply of extra clothing accessible for adapting to climate changes and replacing wet clothes. Make sure you have sturdy boots, warm gloves, a scarf, and a hat to decrease the loss of body heat.

* Cold temperatures can hurt your plants. If you cannot accommodate plants in the passenger area of the vehicle, store them in plastic bags with holes punched for air.

* Items kept overnight in a truck under freezing conditions may result in damaged goods.

* When moving from one climate to another, water damage may occur when the moving vehicle travels from a cold environment to a warmer climate. Freezing and thawing causes the most damage if items are not properly sealed.

* Such severe and quick climate changes are hard on wood and even some plastics.

* If you have a lot of fragile furnishings that could be damaged from the changing temperatures, etc... you may want to pay the higher cost of moving in the summer.

* If rain is the biggest challenge you may want to consider moving with plastic crates instead of cardboard moving boxes.

* Get as much help from family and friends to minimize the time in the cold for everyone involved. Be sure to offer brandy, hot chocolate, etc..

Let me know if you additional tips we can add to the blog.

Thanks,
BoxQuester