"Greening" your move

Environmentally Friendly Packing Materials
If you're concerned about the impact your move may have on the environment, take heart. Eco-friendly products and tips can help you reduce the impact of your move on the environment. These alternative packing materials make it easy to green your move:

Newspaper or Recycled Packing Paper. Rolled up into balls, paper can provide good cushioning at a great price.
Cardboard. Old cardboard boxes can be torn into strips or squares and then rolled tightly around an item.
Packing Peanuts. Buy biodegradable packing peanuts made from grain sorghum and cornstarch, and use them to cushion breakables such as glassware.
Rolled Foam. Use starch-based, anti-static rolled foam to cushion computer parts and electronic equipment.
Popcorn. Pop some extra to use for your delicate items. Popcorn's springy consistency makes it a great packing material.

Exercise Your Right to Choose
There are several options you can choose from your electric company that cater to your environmentally friendly lifestyle. Here are a few other environmentally friendly tips that will help you live green once you're settled in your new place:

Power your new home with electricity generated from 100% wind. It produces no air pollution or carbon emissions that contribute to greenhouse gasses. View Reliant Energy wind plans in your area.
Select paperless billing as your method of choice for receiving bills. It's good for the environment and convenient for you.

Green Cleaning Products
When preparing to sell your home, one of the first things you'll want to do is clean everything well.

This will allow prospective buyers to see how the home can sparkle - and it will give you a chance to be kind to the environment by using the following environmentally friendly cleaning products:

Orange Peels. Deodorize a garbage disposal unit by throwing in a few peels while it's operating.

Baking Soda. One of the easiest natural products to find, baking soda is extremely versatile.

Use baking soda on a damp sponge to clean your refrigerator and countertops without scratching.
Crayon marks on the walls? Apply a paste of baking soda and water to an old toothbrush, and then lightly brush the affected area.
Minimize water stains on wooden floors by sponging with a solution of baking soda dissolved in water. Sprinkle baking soda on rugs and carpets before vacuuming as a deodorizing treatment.
Stains on porcelain sinks, toilets and plastics can be removed by applying a layer of baking soda nd then using a damp sponge.

Not enough time to make your own cleansers? You can find numerous biodegradable, nontoxic cleaning products at any grocery store. These "green" options are sometimes shelved separately from the other products; check with the store manager if you need help finding them.