Welcome to the third installment of Reuse at U-Haul. If you have not read the first two installments you can find them here: Take A Box, Leave A Box and Storage Re-Use Centers.
In the first two blogs, we discussed how U-Haul encourages reuse of moving boxes and any unwanted furniture. Today we will talk about unique reuse opportunities in the storage world.
Sustainable Van Body Self-Storage
If you’ve moved around a lot, you know that self-storage is a way to store your possessions while you’re settling into your new home. But did you know that if you are storing your goods in an outdoor drive-up unit at U-Haul, you may be storing them in a unit supported by a reused U-Haul truck box.
The U-Haul van body box is built to last long after the vehicle’s engine has reached the end of its lifespan. When a U-Haul moving truck is retired the van body is often removed and reused as a converted storage unit. These drive-up units can be found at many U-Haul storage locations across North America.
Since upcycled van body storage units are constructed from sturdy, reused materials, they eliminate the necessity of new construction materials. The need for new concrete, wood, steel, and plastic becomes obsolete and the high-quality truck bodies provide for a clean, dry and secure drive up storage. For every 1,000 square feet of avoided concrete pour associated with concrete storage, 17.3 tons of carbon emissions are avoided. Learn more here: Van Body Self-Storage.
How do you re-purpose unwanted items in your life? Let us know your reuse tips in the comments below.
This post was written by Ethan K., Corporate Sustainability intern U-Haul International. He is skilled in the areas of research, communication and community engagement!
