Eastside Audubon’s Green Tip of the Month for August 2024
Written by Jeannine Sielinski
Ridwell, a local company (I have no family or economic ties), is making a significant impact in the fight against waste and environmental degradation. I’ve chosen to highlight them this month because of their positive impact. When I shop, I’m conscious of avoiding plastic products, but it’s nearly impossible to eliminate all plastic. That’s where Ridwell steps in to help. Their subscription-based service encourages households to recycle items that would otherwise end up in landfills. By providing bins and bags for specific recyclable materials, they make active participation easy. To date, they’ve diverted over 14 million tons of trash from landfills—a commitment that directly contributes to a greener future.
What Ridwell Collects:
Plastic Film: Bubble wrap, zip lock bags, plastic bags, shipping bags, and air pillows.
Clothes and Textiles: Shoes, towels, sheets, clothing, and fabric scraps.
Batteries: Household batteries (including lithium-ion rechargeable) and button-sized batteries.
Light Bulbs
Multi-layered Plastic: Coffee bags, snack bags, pet food bags, and food storage packaging.
Plus, their rotating featured item adds variety to recycling efforts.
For an additional fee(s), they also pick up clear plastic clam shells, Styrofoam, latex paint, and fluorescent lightbulbs.
I’ve highlighted this in an earlier article but statistically only 9% of the 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic ever produced has been recycled. Ridwell tackles this head-on by partnering with well-vetted companies like Trek. They transform plastic bags into composite decking boards, giving new life to materials that would otherwise linger in landfills.
Remember, every small action counts, and Ridwell is making a big difference.