3 Ways to Support Eco-Friendly Businesses in Chicago

Supporting eco-friendly businesses in Chicago starts with recognizing businesses using eco-friendly practices. Companies such as the ones talked about in this article from Built In Chicago, use eco-friendly practices. Without knowing these companies are working hard to become greener, it's hard to support them.

While the first step in supporting any Chicago eco-friendly business is figuring out which businesses are green, it's also important to understand how to support these businesses. Here are three ways you can make sure you're supporting more eco-friendly businesses in Chicago.

Do your Research First

Before you start shopping for a new product or service, start with a bit of research. Most likely, there are several options for you to choose from when it comes to whatever product or service you desire. However, they won't all be eco-friendly options.

Resources, such as the Illinois Green Business Association may help you find the right eco-friendly business for your needs. IGBA offers a list of certified green businesses in your specific area. They also offer several other resources to help you support eco-friendly businesses in Chicago and throughout Illinois.

Another resource to use is called The Conscious Guide: Chicago. This guide provides a list of many businesses using green practices.

Build a List of Chicago Businesses

As you start looking at ways to support eco-friendly businesses in Chicago, you should start building your own list of businesses using green practices. From stores you go to every week for groceries to the way you get from one place to another, there are eco-friendly options. Supporting these businesses regularly will help the local economy and the environment.

Identify green businesses you can use as an alternative to the mainstream options and build a list for your own reference. As you build this list, consider other products and services you use regularly, which could be provided by an eco-friendly local business.

Be Willing to Sacrifice Convenience

If supporting eco-friendly businesses in Chicago is important to you, it may be necessary to sacrifice some convenience. The perfect eco-friendly grocery store may not be the one closest to your home. However, if the environment is important to you, a little inconvenience to support a green business in Chicago may be worth it.

While Chicago is filled with green businesses, it's also important to go beyond the local businesses. Supporting local and green is great, but when you shop online, make sure to do your research and find the right eco-friendly company online, as well.

Whether you're moving and you want to use Chicago GreenBox because they are an eco-friendly company or you just want to go out to dinner at an eco-friendly restaurant, make sure you're supporting the right business. Going green isn't as hard as it once was for companies and it should be a pre-requisite for your business if you want to support eco-friendly businesses in Chicago.

Use the resources in this article to help find the best green businesses throughout Chicago and start building your own list. A small sacrifice of a little bit of convenience may have you supporting more eco-friendly businesses and feeling like you're doing your part to save our planet.

What Can You Expect From A Green Moving Company?

When you move, whether for a new job, for family, or for any other reason, you'll invest plenty of time and money into your move. It's a process as you have to move all your things from point A to point B.

Moving requires fuel, packing supplies, time, money, and other resources. If you want to move in the most eco-friendly way possible, hiring a moving company and renting plastic moving boxes is a good start.

However, you can't just hire any moving company. A green moving company will make your move more eco-friendly, but you need to know what to expect. Not all moving companies are green and some claim to be green but are not as eco-friendly as you might desire.

Here are a few of the things you can expect from a green moving company.

Minimum Cardboard Usage

While cardboard is recyclable, and a very popular choice for moving companies, green moving companies use very little cardboard. Instead, they will likely rent you reusable plastic moving boxes, which means far less cardboard to recycle or throw out after the move.

Packing Supplies Will Be Recyclable

Many of the most common packing supplies cannot be recycled, including clear plastic tape. In addition, most packing supplies are not easy to recycle, which means they end up in the trash most of the time.

Since a green moving company will use plastic moving boxes, there won't be much need for packing tape. In addition, they will likely recommend that you use your soft goods (towels, linens, clothing, etc.) for packing materials before purchasing anything additional.

Any packing materials you do buy will likely be recyclable.

Moving Trucks Will Use Biodiesel

Instead of moving trucks running on diesel, a green moving company will have trucks using biodiesel fuel made from biodegradable, natural sources.

Along with using a better, cleaner fuel in their trucks, a green moving company will also have trucks with battery-powered curbside lifts. These lifts don't require the engine of the truck to idle while the lift is being used. This ensures less fuel is used during the moving process.

Provide Connections to Location Recycling and Donation Sites

When you hire a green moving company, they will likely provide you with a list of places to donate things you don't need or want. They will also know where you can recycle anything you need to recycle from cardboard to old electronics.

Offer Eco-Friendly Storage Facilities

It's not uncommon to need storage during a move. Maybe you're moving from out of state and you need to store some of your things while shopping for a house. You may be living in a smaller apartment or even in a hotel temporarily.

If this is the case, a green moving company will either offer eco-friendly storage facilities or be able to recommend a green facility for you. Green storage facilities take advantage of natural light through skylights and windows. It's also common for these facilities to provide efficient insulation for climate control, along with recyclable and renewable containers for storage.

When it's time to move, you want to make sure you have the right green moving company for your needs. These are just a few of the many things you can expect from a green moving company. Look for these traits and ask plenty of questions before settling on the right moving company for you.

How to Know if You're Using a Green Moving Company

Spotting a green moving company isn't really that difficult if you know what to look for. Moving companies often provide trucks, boxes, packing supplies, and other items to aid in your move. The easiest way to know if you're using a green moving company is to look at the options they offer.

The Type of Boxes Offered

Cardboard boxes are not the most eco-friendly option. Most green moving companies, like Chicago GreenBox, will offer reusable moving boxes. These eco-friendly moving boxes offer a better choice than cardboard for the environment, the protection of your things, and for your wallet, in some cases.

Green moving companies don't use much if any cardboard because it's not reusable like plastic moving boxes. This is the first sign you're using a green moving company.

Biodiesel Trucks

Most moving trucks used by moving companies will run on diesel fuel. This type of fuel puts harmful toxins into the air we breathe and pollutes the earth.

Green moving companies will use trucks that run on biodiesel fuel. This type of fuel will burn cleaner and it's made from renewable sources, such as vegetable oils. They may also have trucks with battery-operated lift gates to ensure trucks don't need to idle while using the liftgate.

Eco-Friendly Packing Supplies

A green moving company will offer eco-friendly packing supplies made from recycled materials and/or recyclable. Green movers offer plenty of packing supplies you can use and most will be able to be recycled when you’re done. In addition, by offering plastic reusable boxes, you won't need nearly as much packing tape, which isn't recyclable.

Plastic moving boxes seal without the need for tape or adhesive. These boxes help to make your move greener and the moving company more eco-friendly.

Offer or Recommend Green Storage Facilities

Sometimes, when you move, you need a storage unit temporarily or for the length of your time in your new home. Green moving companies may also offer green storage facilities. If they don't, they should be able to recommend a green facility for your storage needs.

A Strong Commitment to the Community

A sign of many green moving companies is their commitment to the local community. When they decide to be an eco-friendly moving company, they have already decided they care about the community.

In addition, most green moving companies will show an even bigger commitment to the local community through charity, sponsorships, and the spread of environmental awareness. If a moving company has a strong commitment to the community, there's a good chance they employ eco-friendly practices.

There are several things to look for when you want to know if you're using a green moving company. Some will even be certified as eco-friendly, while others may not advertise their green practices as much.

Usually, asking about the type of fuel used in their trucks and the type of moving boxes they offer will give you a clear picture of whether they are a green moving company or a traditional moving company. If you want to make sure you use a green moving company for your next move, this article will help you figure it out.

Top 3 Most Eco-Friendly Packaging Materials

It's time to move, but you're not sure how to choose packing materials you can actually recycle. Maybe you want to ensure your move is as eco-friendly as possible, and the packaging materials have become a bit of an obstacle. Don't worry, there are plenty of options to use and you won't be left without a good way to pack up your belongings.

When you want to move in the most eco-friendly way possible, you need the right supplies. Here's a look at the top three most eco-friendly packaging materials you can use for your next move.

Start with What You Already Own

Most people forget about what they already have when they get ready to move. You probably own luggage, which can be packed with all kinds of items, just don't make it too heavy. You may also own other things, such as plastic crates and chests of drawers.

All of these items can be packed to carry some of your items to your new home. By using what you already have as moving boxes, you can eliminate your overall need for boxes.

In addition, you can also use what you own as packing supplies, such as towels, sheets, bedding, and clothing, which can all be used to cushion items. Pack your drawers with towels and lighter items to make them easy to carry. You can also pack luggage with bedding used to protect dishes or other items in need of protection. Get creative and use what you already have to eliminate your overall need for boxes and packing supplies.

Plastic Moving Boxes

One of the most eco-friendly packaging materials is plastic. Since it can be reused, it doesn't have to be wasted. While cardboard boxes can be recycled or potentially reused, they can also become damaged and no good for use or recycling.

With plastic moving boxes, you can rent the number of boxes you need for the move and return them when you're done. Not only do these boxes provide a very eco-friendly option, but they also ensure you won't have boxes sitting around your new home for weeks or months after moving in.

Biodegradable Bubble Wrap

Instead of just using regular bubble wrap, make sure you buy biodegradable bubble wrap. It's still made of plastic, but it's biodegradable making it less harmful for the environment.

Another alternative, made from recycled cardboard, offers a great solution for your packing needs. This packing material is used all throughout the Disney Theme Parks and it looks like a honeycomb paper with a second layer. It's excellent for protecting items and it can be recycled once you're done using it.

When you buy your packing supplies, getting anything biodegradable or recycled will make a big difference for your move. Regular bubble wrap and packing peanuts don't cut it any longer. Instead, you want to choose some type of biodegradable bubble wrap, preferably made from some type of reusable or recycled materials.

Whenever you need to move, it's time to consider your supplies. Make sure you choose the most eco-friendly items for your packing and moving.

Top 3 Traits of a Green Moving Company

When it's time to move, it's not time to ignore your eco-friendly lifestyle. Instead, it's time to find a green moving company and embrace the ability to move in an eco-friendly way. Here are three traits you will find with any good green moving company.

1 - The Moving Trucks

The first place to start when looking for a green moving company is the transport they offer. Bio-diesel trucks are a good option or for a long-distance move companies using larger trucks with the ability to move multiple clients at the same time is a good practice.

The trucks provided by a moving company are a dead give-away and will show you if they are a green moving company or not. Look for bio-diesel trucks, hybrid trucks, or any other type of truck designed to use less fuel.

2 - Reusable Box Rentals

While cardboard boxes can be recycled, they are not the greenest solution for packing. The best green moving companies offer reusable moving boxes you can rent. Usually, these are plastic bins, which protect your belongings far better than cardboard and they are eco-friendly.

Cardboard will become vulnerable in bad weather or under too much weight. Reusable plastic moving boxes are designed to hold more weight and they protect your belongings even in rain.

When a moving company offers reusable box rentals, they are likely an eco-friendly choice. The best green moving companies will offer only eco-friendly options for packing your belongings.

3 - Fewer Packing Supplies

Since green moving companies offer reusable boxes made of plastic, you won't need nearly as many packing supplies. These companies don't always offer any moving supplies that cannot be recycled, which includes many of the traditional options.

The plastic boxes you can rent will seal without tape and protect your things far better than cardboard. You can even use your own towels and blankets to help make your packing supplies even more eco-friendly.

Some green moving companies will offer Oxo-biodegradable bubble wrap and biodegradable foam peanuts for packing. These packing supplies are far more eco-friendly than the supplies sold by most moving companies.

These three traits are pretty common with truly green moving companies and they provide plenty of benefits. When you choose a green moving company in Chicago for your move, you'll benefit in many ways including:

• No need to break down cardboard boxes or find a place to recycle them

• More social responsibility throughout your move

• Ability to utilize green storage, if necessary

• Connections to the local donation/recycling sites

• Better protection for your items

• And more!

A green moving company will help you gain peace of mind as you prepare to make your move to Chicago as eco-friendly as possible. There are several other things you can do on your end to make your move more eco-friendly. However, choosing the right green moving company is a huge start.

Not all moving companies are created equal. Make sure you research the choices available to you and ask questions about their business practices. An eco-friendly moving company will make a difference, even if you're just moving a few miles away.

How To Utilize Greener Transport During Your Move

Moving isn't always the most eco-friendly process on the planet. You might end up using and throwing away supplies that are not great for the environment. It's possible you could do quite a bit of harm with your move if you're not careful.

Choosing packing supplies, renting eco-friendly moving boxes, and finding greener transport for your move make a difference. There are several tips you can consider when you want to ensure your move is as eco-friendly as possible. However, finding the right transport can be a bit difficult. Here's a quick look at how to ensure your transport is as green as possible.

Eco-Friendly Moving Companies

The best option for your green transport is to find an eco-friendly moving company. While the first thing that comes to mind with a moving truck is the fuel usage, there are several other things to consider. Eco-friendly moving companies not only provide lower-emissions trucks but they also:

• Provide rentable boxes or recycled cardboard boxes

• Use LED bulbs in their cargo areas

• Offer eco-friendly packing supplies

• And, more!

A truly eco-friendly moving company will go above and beyond to ensure they use green practices in every area of their business. Of course, one of the easiest ways to ensure a moving company is eco-friendly is the fuel they use.

With more moving companies choosing trucks that run on bio-diesel, you can easily spot a green moving company. Bio-diesel is a cleaner fuel compared to regular diesel and offers a solution to your green transport needs.

Lighten Your Load

While finding greener transport is important for an eco-friendly move, you can also lighten your load to make the transportation portion of the move greener. The more you pack into a moving truck, the more fuel it will burn to get those items from point A to point B, and the less eco-friendly your move will become.

Take the time to reduce your belongings before you pack for your move. Donate or sell things you don't need or want anymore, recycle anything you can, and reduce the amount of things you're moving to make your transport greener.

Make Only One Trip

Whether you're moving locally in Chicago or from another city to Chicago, make the move in just one trip. Even if you're just moving a few blocks down the road, making more than one trip causes your transportation to burn more gas and become less eco-friendly.

Pack up your vehicle, along with the moving truck so that you only have to make one trip from your old home to your new home. Reducing the number of trips to just one is the easiest way to ensure you're move is as green as possible.

Finding and using greener transport for your move isn't always easy. You may have to ask questions and do a bit of research to find the right moving company. However, it's worth it when you realize your move is as eco-friendly as possible.