Three Smart Home Devices to Help You Live More Eco-Friendly

When you want to make a difference, living more eco-friendly is a good start. Trying to find small ways to decrease the impact you cause on the environment helps everybody take a step forward.

Smart home devices have made it easier to live a more eco-friendly existence. You might already go without plastic straws, use your own grocery bags, and skip the disposable water bottles, but there's more you can do for the environment.

With so many smart home devices becoming more affordable and more common, it's now possible to make greener choices at home. Technology may have a negative impact on the planet in some ways, but using less energy through smart devices can help.

Here are three of the best eco-friendly smart home devices you can use to live a greener existence.

Smart Thermostat

The easiest way to make your home more eco-friendly and use less energy is with a smart thermostat. This is by far the best smart home devices for saving energy and living more eco-friendly.

With a smart thermostat, you can save energy by letting it learn your daily habits. It will adjust the temperature accordingly so you're not using energy when it's not necessary.

Imagine if you walked out the door in the morning without changing the thermostat. Then, you come home after a long day of work and your home feels comfortable, but you used energy to heat or cool your home the entire time you were gone.

With a smart thermostat, you won't have to worry about wasting energy to cool or heat your home when you're gone. It will adjust when you're not there to ensure you don't use nearly as much energy as you do with a traditional thermostat.

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

Did you know as much as 17% of the carbon footprint caused by a home comes from lighting? http://www.apo-tokyo.org/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2012_Sep-Oct_p4-5.pdf

Smart energy-efficient light bulbs give you the ability to reduce your lighting use and your carbon footprint. When lights are on and nobody is home, it's a waste of energy. In addition, using standard light bulbs requires more energy than new, smart LED light bulbs.

With the right energy-efficient light bulbs gives you the ability to turn your lights off from a smartphone app. If you forget, you don't have to wait until you arrive home to stop using energy with your lighting.

Smart Outlet Monitors

Are you wondering which appliances use the most energy? With a smart outlet monitory, you can track the amount of energy used by appliances and other plug-in devices. These plugs will also allow you to turn your appliances off and on with a voice assistant or from a smartphone app.

If you want to reduce your energy usage, finding out how much energy each device uses helps.

These three smart home devices will help you live a more eco-friendly existence. It's important to think about the environment with everything you do from moving with Chicago Green Box to outfitting your home with the right smart home devices.

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.

How to Reduce Food Waste Before a Move

Moving is a rather stressful process and it becomes a bit more stressful when you want to move in the most eco-friendly way possible. However, the right planning can make your eco-friendly move easier and give you a clear conscience at the same time.

One thing you will need to deal with when moving is the food you have leftover. If you want to move in the most eco-friendly way possible, you will need to reduce food waste to as close to zero waste as possible.

There are several ways to make your food waste much less, if not zero. Here are a few things to consider when moving and trying to reduce food waste during the process.

Meal Plan

About a month before moving day will arrive, start planning your meals based on what you own. Obviously, fresh foods won't last an entire month, but you likely have pantry items and frozen items you need to use up.

Start by taking a full inventory of your frozen items and pantry items. Make sure you know what you own a month before moving so you can start planning meals based on the food you already have.

Once you have your inventory list, you can start creating a meal plan to use up what you already own. Choose recipes using the ingredients you have on hand with minimal added ingredients.

Note: Be careful of recipes with ingredients you'll struggle to find in smaller quantities. If you want to make a meal requiring you to buy a new ingredient only sold in amounts higher than you really need, consider other recipes using the same ingredient.

Shop the Bulk Aisles for New Ingredients

After setting your meal plan, you will likely need to hit the grocery store for a few ingredients. However, you don't want to buy huge amounts or you'll just have a new food waste problem on your hands.

Shopping at a store with bulk aisles letting you buy only what you need is a great way to keep from creating new food waste. These stores will allow you to buy a small amount and charge based on the weight of the item, in most circumstances.

Eat the Most Perishable Items First

Moving with fresh and frozen foods isn't fun and will likely create food waste. Even if you have a big cooler filled with ice, frozen foods become a pain to move and they may not stay frozen.

Eat the most perishable items first. Start with anything found in your refrigerator and freezer. These items are most likely to spoil if you try to take them with you.

Some of the food items you can easily move with you include:

• Canned goods

• Sealed boxed goods

• Spices

• Oils, properly sealed and packed

• Condiments not requiring refrigeration

Meats, dairy products, fresh produce, frozen vegetables, fruits, and other fresh items should be eaten before moving.

Non-perishable items can also be donated if you don't want to bother moving them from one home to another.

Share Food with Friends

If you're getting close to moving day and you simply don't have enough days left to eat the 12 steaks in your freezer or the whole turkey you scored after Thanksgiving, it's time to share.

You can ask your friends if they would like any of the food you cannot eat or you can throw a dinner party and cook it up for everybody showing up. Either way, you'll be able to use up food without throwing it out and letting it go to waste.

Use these tips to help reduce your food waste. If you must move with food, make sure you properly pack the items you will be moving and make sure they make it into your new home first, especially if they are perishable items.

How to Properly Dispose of Garage Items During a Move

It's time to move and you forgot about all the things you've collected in the garage. You have cans of paint, varnish, and plenty of other unique chemicals found in half-empty containers.

When you're ready to move, you'll have to clean out the garage and figure out how to deal with these chemicals. It may not be a good idea to add a half-can of paint to your moving truck. It could open and cause a huge mess.

If you need to dispose of your garage items because you're moving, make sure you know the proper way to get rid of these items. Here are some of the things to consider when disposing of paint, varnish, and other garage items.

Disposing of Paint

Paint is the most common garage item needing to be disposed of before you move. Often, when updating rooms or painting doors, you end up with extra, which you might keep in case you need to do a touch-up.

Regardless of why you have five half cans of paint, it needs to go before you move. There are a few steps you want to take and a few options you have for disposal.

If you don't want to waste the paint, you can try to use it up on your walls before you move. Another option is to ask around and see if anybody could use the paint you have. Sometimes, local schools can use paint for art projects or other projects.

Another way to get rid of the paint without disposing of it is to contact your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. They will usually accept latex paint. FreeCycle.org also offers another option to give away the paint.

Maybe you cannot find anybody to take your paint. If this is the case, you can dispose of the paint.

Start by hardening the paint by letting it dry out. When latex paint is hardened, it takes away some of the hazardous properties. You can dry it out in the sun, add kitty litter or newspaper to speed up the process, or even use a paint hardener to make it easier to throw away.

Make sure to check with your community, but many will allow you to throw out dried up paint with your household trash.

Disposing of Other Hazardous Garage Items

You probably have more than just paint hanging out in your garage. Maybe you have combustible materials, reactive materials, or toxic chemicals you need to get rid of before moving.

Getting rid of anything falling into the category of hazardous waste means you will need to read the labels and research your local county laws. Each county is ab it different and you should search "how to dispose of hazardous waste" + YOUR COUNTY" to find the right way to handle it.

Typically, you will either need to schedule a home pick up or find a drop off location for hazardous waste. Some materials may be recycled. If this is the case, you may be able to request a mail-in recycling kit for your hazardous materials.

It's also possible you can donate any hazardous items to a friend or a local company in need of the item. Depending on the items you need to dispose of, you may be able to take leftovers to businesses or charities in need.

Getting rid of any hazardous garage items is a part of making your move more eco-friendly. If you're looking to move in the most eco-friendly way possible, Chicago Green Box is ready to help with the right reusable moving boxes.

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.

3 Items You Shouldn’t Forget to Recycle During a Move

Moving is stressful and things can end up forgotten. When you decide to move and you want to make your move as eco-friendly as possible, recycling becomes a big part of the process.

Using eco-friendly moving boxes from The Chicago Green Box is a good first step towards a more environmentally-friendly move. However, there are several other things you can do, including recycling anything and everything you can. Here are three things you want to make sure you don't forget to recycle during a move.

Cardboard Boxes

While you should certainly ditch the cardboard and rent eco-friendly boxes, you may still end up using some cardboard boxes, especially if you already own them. Don't forget to recycle these boxes as they serve very little purpose once they've been used in a move.

If you decide to purchase cardboard boxes, make sure you get boxes that can be recycled. The real problem with cardboard comes when a box gets wet or something else on it, such as soap or oil. Once the box has become wet or soiled, it can no longer be recycled.

When you need boxes for your move if you want to ensure it's as eco-friendly as possible, rent boxes from The Chicago Green Box. You won't need to worry about recycling cardboard boxes when you're done moving or which boxes can be recycled and which cannot.

Packing Materials

An eco-friendly move means you'll likely try to use all your soft goods as packing materials before buying anything additional. While towels, sweaters, t-shirts, and bedding make great packing materials, you may end up needing more than what you already own.

Make sure to only purchase packing materials you can recycle. Then, when the move is over, gather all your packing materials and find a local recycling facility to drop them off at.

Old Electronics

Moving presents one of the best times to go through your things and get rid of what you don't need or want anymore. If you've been hoarding old electronics, such as laptop computers, tablets, smartphones, or anything else, now is the time to sell or recycle your old electronics.

Even if you cannot recycle the entire item, you can usually recycle the battery. By recycling old electronics, you'll be protecting the environment from the chemicals found within these devices. You'll also be helping to save energy and ensure the harmful chemicals in these devices don't end up in the environment.

Make sure to choose a certified electronics recycler for your devices. Not all recyclers are certified to properly recycle electronics.

Of course, if you have an electronics item you don't need, but someone else can use, you may want to consider selling it first. If the item is too old to sell or doesn't work, make sure to recycle it.

Moving is a great time to go through the things you own and sell, donate, or recycle anything you don't need or want. Take the time to go through everything you own, including your electronics. You might be surprised what can be sold, donated, or recycles before your move, which will reduce the number of boxes and, potentially, the size of the truck you need for your move.

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.

Cost-Effective Ways to Pack for Your Move

Packing is a huge part of moving, whether you're moving across the city or out of the state. Finding ways to pack your things without breaking the bank matters. There are several cost-effective ways to pack for your move and here are some of the best choices.

Rent Plastic Moving Boxes

Chicago GreenBox offers eco-friendly plastic moving boxes you can rent. Instead of spending money on cardboard moving boxes, renting boxes may be a more cost-effective solution. In addition to the cost-effective benefits, when you rent plastic moving boxes you'll be choosing to move in a more eco-friendly way.

Use What You Already Have

You probably own suitcases, some boxes, bags, and other things you can use for packing. Even reusable grocery bags may help with some of the packing.

Instead of spending money on boxes, use what you have first, and then rent the moving boxes you need for the rest of your things. Pack with what you already own first and you won't need to buy as many supplies. In addition, towels and other soft items can be used to protect items and keep you from needing as much bubble wrap or other packing items.

Minimalize First

Before you start packing for your move, take the time to minimalize. If you have old things you don't use or need, sell them, donate them, or trash them. Go through your things and decide what you really need to take with you and what can be sold, donated, or thrown away.

By minimalizing first, you won't need nearly as many moving supplies. You can save money by using this cost-effective strategy to minimize the items needing to be moved.

Use Cheap Balloons Instead of Air-Pillows

Air-pillow packing can be very expensive. You don't have to spend money on this type of packing material when the dollar store will sell you balloons for super cheap.

In addition, with balloons, you can control how large you make them fill the space needed to be filled perfectly.

Shredded Paper Replaces Packing Peanuts

If you have a shredder or you can rip up paper you already have, you can use it in the place of packing peanuts. You don't need to spend money on packing peanuts to pack fragile items you don't want to break. Shredded paper of any type can work well as a packing filler and save you some money.

Fill All Your Containers First

We already talked about using what you have, but many people forget to fill their hamper, baskets, and other items they already own. Even dresser drawers can be filled and packed separately to make furniture easier to carry. You can even cover drawers in plastic wrap to help protect the items inside.

Move in the Offseason

While it's not necessarily a tip for cost-effective packing for a move, when you move in the offseason, the cost of moving will be lower. Moving companies need the businesses and they will be more likely to provide discounts on the packing supplies you do need during the off-season.

The most cost-effective move will include renting plastic moving boxes, using your own things first, and minimalizing as best you can. Chicago GreenBox offers excellent reusable moving boxes, which make a great choice for a cost-effective move.