The War On Cardboard

Here at BlueCow Boxes™, we promote the simplicity of renting plastic moving boxes first and foremost. Hence our straightforward tagline, “Moving Just Got Easier.” And honestly, what we hear every day from our customers is that moving is a lot of work, it’s frustrating, and we want you to help us make it easier. However, in addition to making moving more manageable, we cannot lose sight of the fact that we all owe it to our communities, neighbors, and ourselves to be good stewards of the environment, and BlueCow Boxes™ is doing our share to accomplish just that. BlueCow Boxes™ offers an affordable, reusable, eco-friendly alternative to the traditional brown cardboard moving box. Our moving boxes are recycled plastic with industrial-strength, uniform size for stacking, and easy-to-grip handles that will never rip. And without cardboard, you don’t have to worry about what to do with your boxes when your move is done. You don’t have to break down and get rid of a pile of cardboard after just one use. With cardboard boxes, you have to balance your packing, and you can only stack boxes four or five feet high. Many people pack their boxes unevenly, and it’s easy for cardboard to get crushed during a move. With BlueCow Boxes™, you can stack them to the roof of the moving truck with no worry about crushing the moving boxes below.

Here is an excellent article that helps put things into perspective:

Effects of Cardboard in the Landfills

Cardboard has many uses, the most prevalent of which is to package and ship items. People use cardboard to ship 90 percent of all products in the United States, according to Earth 911. Most cardboard ends up in landfills, where it can take a very long time to break down and decompose.

Landfill Statistics

Annenberg Media reports that paper and cardboard account for 41 percent of all municipal waste in the United States. Only 25 percent of that cardboard and paper gets recycled. Compared to other countries such as Japan, which recycles 50 percent of its paper products, the United States is far behind. With only 25 percent of paper and cardboard recycled, the other 75 percent ends up in the landfill. Landfills are becoming increasingly full.

Landfill and Environmental Effects

Programs need to encourage recycling and increase the amount of cardboard and other paper products diverted from the landfill. Many argue that cardboard is made from a renewable resource, but when it decomposes, cardboard releases methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Cardboard is made from trees. These trees must first be cut down, destroying fragile ecosystems and their inhabitants. Processing the pulp and creating boxes also release emissions into the atmosphere and use energy.

Reuse and Recycle

Cardboard is made from paper and is easy to recycle. It is even better than recycling it to reuse it as many times as possible, as it is a fairly solid material. Not only does this keep it out of the landfill, but it also saves energy and emissions that are used to construct the boxes in the first place. When it is no longer viable to reuse the boxes, it is time to recycle them.

Recycling Tips

Most cardboard is recyclable, but there are a few exceptions. Greasy or otherwise soiled cardboard is not recyclable, so recycling pizza boxes is impossible. Wet boxes are also not recyclable. To recycle your boxes, make sure they are empty and flatten them out. Most municipalities also require the stacks of boxes to be tied up, but this varies, so check guidelines.

By Robina Sharma, eHow Contributor

http://www.ehow.com/list_7501399_effects-cardboard-landfills.html

#cardboardboxes #ecofriendly #greenmoving #plasticmovingboxes #rentmovingboxes #reusablemovingboxes #boxrental