Collect boxes before you move your lab or home


Photo: Cardboard Boxes

Problem: Moving day can be a hassle, especially without lots of boxes. and new boxes can run you up to $5 dollars each.

Solution: Many laboratories leave their unwanted boxes in hallways for custodial staff to pick up. Take a walk around your building and see if anyone has left any useable boxes. If not there are green cardboard recycling dumpsters behind every building on campus, and the store rooms empty dozens of boxes every day. Check their loading docks and ask them to not collapse them for you.

Cost: The time searching out free boxes can be about the same as purchasing them. You save purchase price of boxes ($50-100).

Benefit: Each box you don’t have to buy saves you money and every ton of cardboard left unmade can save 17 trees. See the best estimates of your impact.