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The Five Most Eco-Friendly Cities in the World to Move to
People are becoming increasingly concerned about carbon footprints and climate change – and not just in this country either. For those people who are thinking of moving overseas from the UK, our team at leading removals firm Hamiltons, based in East Anglia, have compiled this list of the top five eco-friendly cities to move to.
Stockholm
The Swedish capital is trying to follow in Amsterdam’s footsteps by encouraging people to use bikes to get around. It is also one of the cleanest cities in the world, with all its inner-city trains and buses running on renewable fuels. The authorities want the city to become fossil-fuel free by the year 2050.
Stockholm is also very strict on noise pollution, and it has very high standards for water purity. This combination of green initiatives helped the city win the European Green Capital Award in 2010.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen has more than 5,600 windmills, which help supply more than a tenth of its electricity. It also has some of the cleanest tap water in the world, and rigorous quality controls ensure that it stays that way.
Bike use is being encouraged, with around half of the Danish capital’s residents cycling to work or school. There are more than 5,500 acres of public parks and green spaces in the city, and virtually the whole population can reach one of these on foot within 15 minutes.
Amsterdam
The Dutch capital famously has more bikes than people, which has helped the city drastically cut its carbon emissions. For those people who cannot survive without a car, the city authorities have installed more than 300 charging stations for electric vehicles.
Another reason to consider international removals to Amsterdam is the fact that the city has launched its own Smart City programme. This encourages residents to install their own solar panels and small-scale wind turbines, reducing the pressure on the city’s electricity supplies.
Vancouver
There are plenty of reasons for environmentally-conscious people to opt for removals to Vancouver. It is the cleanest city in Canada, and it also ranks in the worldwide top 10 for the lowest CO2 emissions and the highest air quality. The city is generally considered to be the birthplace of Greenpeace.
Vancouver wants to become the greenest city in the world by the year 2020, and the authorities have set up an ambitious eco-friendly programme which includes cutting back on waste, increasing the amount of locally-grown food and ensuring that all new buildings are carbon-neutral.
San Francisco
Half of San Francisco’s population gets to work on public transport, with many people using electric buses and trolley cars rather than petrol vehicles. It was the first American city to introduce a system of coloured waste bins, with the result that 60% of all San Francisco’s rubbish is now recycled.
San Francisco was also the first place in America to crack down on the use of plastic grocery bags, passing its first laws in 2007. And the west coast city is also the country’s leader when it comes to solar energy use.
Moving Abroad with Hamiltons Removals
If you are thinking about international removals to Europe or the USA, then Hamiltons are the people to call. As a highly experienced East Anglian removals firm, with contacts throughout the worldwide moving industry, we can help you with commercial or domestic moves to all parts of Europe, including Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Our international removals department ships to and from most worldwide destinations, including the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Dispelling Five Common Myths About Self-Storage
Many myths have grown up around self-storage units in the UK – either from people who have never used one, or whose experience of them is limited to an American reality TV show, where the rules and regulations are very different.
At Hamiltons Removals, with our two Safe N Stored sites at Harleston and Aldeby we are one of the leading self-storage companies serving customers in Suffolk and Norfolk. Here we dispel five of the misconceptions surrounding the industry.
False: ‘Storage Facilities Aren’t Safe’
Self-storage companies take great care to look after your possessions. At both our Safe N Stored sites, our secure storage units are protected by CCTV cameras and alarm systems which is linked to a 24 hour monitoring service. The self-store shipping containers at Aldeby are also covered by CCTV cameras and all the containers have high-security padlocks.
We don’t allow you to keep combustible or flammable materials, firearms or explosives, chemicals or radioactive items, in any of our units for safety reasons. Perishable goods which could attract rats and vermin are also banned. We can also offer an insurance quote which is tailor-made for the type and value of your items.
False: ‘They’re Just for Hoarders’
One common misconception that has grown up around self-storage units is that they are only used by people who cannot bear to throw anything away, but who have run out of room in their own homes. The truth is very different. If you are moving home but are stuck in a property chain, or you are downsizing and don’t have enough room for everything in your new house, then self-storage could be the ideal solution.
And people who are posted to work abroad on a fixed-term contract, and who don’t want to sell or rent their home in the meantime, can keep valuable or bulky items in a storage unit.
False: ‘You Only Need Them Part of the Year’
Self-storage can come in handy at any time of the year. Caravans, motorhomes and boats may not be in use in the winter months and leaving them outside your home could upset your neighbours, as well as being vulnerable to theft or vandalism. In spring, giving your home a major clean can be a lot easier if you put chairs, tables and other items of furniture into storage.
Because summer is the most popular time of year for house moves, demand for storage units is always high. And students are often looking for units close their college or university to keep text books and other items during the long vacation.
In the autumn, you can put your lawnmower into storage for the next few months once you have given your grass its final cut of the year. Patio furniture and bulky garden tools can also be stored away if you don’t have much room in your garden shed or garage.
False: ‘You Can Get Stuck in an Expensive, Long Contract’
At Hamiltons Removals we appreciate that people may only need self-storage for specific reasons or for a short period of time. Our rooms at Harleston are available on a monthly basis, with the cheapest costing just over £65.
At our Aldeby site you can also hire our containers for as short a period as a month, with our 5’ units – roughly the size of a garden shed – costing only £52 including VAT.
False: ‘They’re Only for Homeowners’
Businesses, as well as private householders, find storage units extremely useful. Last year, the UK’s Self Storage Association estimates that more than 10,000 new enterprises were launched in self-storage facilities.
Storage units offer somewhere secure for your company to store your paper records and receipts, which you may have to keep hard copies of for legal reasons. Retailers can use storage units either to store excess stock, or new product lines, until there is enough room for them on the shop floor. And desks, chairs and filing cabinets can also be kept here if you decide the office needs a new coat of paint or some upgraded IT equipment.
Safe N Stored with Hamiltons Removals
If you are looking for leading self-storage companies in Suffolk and Norfolk, Hamiltons Removals offer far more than just a self-storage room or container. You can hire one of our self-drive vans if your own vehicle isn’t big enough for all the items you want to store, and once you reach us we can offer a porter service – by prior arrangement – if you want any professional help putting your possessions away.
To find out more about all our Safe N Stored facilities, which are ideal for people living in Harleston, Diss, Dickleburgh, Halesworth and the surrounding areas, follow the link above or call us on 01379 855203.