To make a move, on average, 60 cardboard boxes are used. The final number will depend on the size of the box and the volume of items to be packed. Managing the correct recycling and reuse of cardboard boxes reduces the negative environmental impact that occurs during their production. The initial process for making a conventional cardboard box is as follows:
- Trees are cut leaving the trunk.
- The trunks are chopped up giving rise to small splinters.
- The chips are boiled together with other recycled materials.
- The resulting material is left to dry.
- This material is then rolled into large rolls.
- Finally, it is given the desired shape, according to the needs.
To carry out this process, wood, oil, water and electricity are needed. It is estimated that 2,520 million moving boxes can be used worldwide throughout the year and the following quantities are needed to be produced:
- 28,560,000 trees.
- 503,400,000 liters of oil.
- 44,516,450,000 liters of water.
- 70,560,000,000 KW of electricity.
It is important to know once we have this data, that when these boxes are made from recycled materials, only 75% of the electricity is required and the emissions created by chopping the wood are also reduced. By recycling these boxes, we avoid cutting down trees and also reduce the sulfur dioxide emissions that are created by chipping the trunks. For all these reasons, at Mudanzas Control we use cardboard boxes made from 100% recycled materials, which reduces energy and raw material consumption in the initial manufacture.
But even though our moving boxes are more eco-friendly, before throwing them away we have to consider the different uses and options we have and we can give to those boxes.
On the one hand, we can store it for future uses, especially if we have space to store them, it is the best option. We recommend disassembling them so that they are like planks and do not take up so much space. In a second use, these boxes can be used both to transport other things, as well as to make protections for the packaging of paintings or even to protect the floor in case of works, among others.
On the other hand, if we are not going to use it or we do not have space, we must make sure to deposit them in the blue container, so that the raw material that forms it can have a next use. Thanks to this gesture we will be helping to reduce the felling of trees and energy consumption will also be reduced in a second manufacture of cardboard.
For those who want to go a step further and have not been satisfied with the previous two options, we have found fun and imaginative ways to reuse those cardboard and moving boxes that we no longer need for their main purpose.
The Twitter user @Luis_Pastor found a magnificent second use for these boxes by making a castle for his children’s Playmobils:
Who knew a toy castle could be made of cardboard, right? Well, at Cartonlab you will find all kinds of furniture made entirely of cardboard, from a chair to a shelf and all kinds of auxiliary modules. This page can serve as inspiration to make your own creations. Here is the link to the Cartonlab store to get ideas.
If you finally seem determined and want an example of do-it-yourself, in this video they show the creation of a cardboard table that simulates a wooden one. The good thing about the video is that they show us all the steps to follow from scratch, starting from scraps of cardboard boxes of various sizes. Really impressive.
It seems like a rather laborious challenge, but not overly complicated. If you are up for it, we will be happy for you to share your creations with us.
Finally, we encourage you to send us your proposals to recycle and refuse the moving boxes, we will incorporate them into this article citing their original source.
To all of you who have come to this article because you are about to make a move or have just done so, we wish you to enjoy your new home… Perhaps with a new piece of furniture made from cardboard.