Green Moving Guide

When Greg Putnam and his wife were moving from their home of 10 years to a ranch house in Carpinteria, Calif., their main concern was cost -- not only to their bank accounts but to the environment as well. After researching local moving companies that specialize in earth-friendly moving practices, the Putnams settled on MoveGreen, a Santa Barbara-based eco-moving firm.

"We try to be as green as possible," explains Putnam. "We recycle just about everything and try to minimize our waste. We thought it was pretty cool that [MoveGreen] was concerned about the environment, too." And the Putnams were shocked to learn that the green moving company would cost 30 percent less than what other moving companies were quoting.

MoveGreen is one of a burgeoning number of environmentally conscious moving companies across the country. Known for reducing waste and carbon emissions, eco-movers are, in some cases, pricier than traditional moving companies, but friendlier to the Earth. Here's what you need to know if you're thinking about moving green.