Get to know a Ridwell member
“It’s a convenient way to get rid of stuff you don’t want and it just feels good. You’re maintaining a more orderly home while doing your best to not participate in the destruction of the planet. ”
This is a new series where we profile members of the Ridwell community to share how they’re using Ridwell to waste less at home. This week we’re featuring Beth, a retired engineer whose career was out-of-this-world, literally!
Let’s get to know Beth!
I live in: South waterfront, Portland OR.
My occupation: I’m retired now but used to work for NASA as an engineer on the space shuttle flight operations program. I designed the operations program crew displays that astronauts use to control payloads.
Wasting less in my life looks like: Trying to buy less, using what’s on hand rather than buying something new. I also love going to the farmer’s market because their food isn’t wrapped in lots of plastic.
My ideal Saturday: Spending time with my son and grandchildren outside. I love going to the park or most recently, the pumpkin patch.
I have been a Ridwell member since: January 2021
I signed up for Ridwell because: I thought the story of the founder and his son was really heart-warming. I loved the idea of a dad teaching his son to be more sustainable. Then I fell in love with the idea of wasting less and recycling stuff that curbside recycling can’t take.
Something I’ve learned about wasting less because of Ridwell is: That you can recycle hard-to-recycle plastics like pill bottles.
How Ridwell fits into my routine at home: We have a place where we stow what needs to get picked up. I make sure plastic is clean and then fold it up and put it in the corner of our pantry.
My top tip for other RIdwell members is: Hang the threads bag inside the door of the closet so you can put your old clothes in there when you realize you have something you’re not going to wear anymore.
My favorite Ridwell category has been: Threads. I’m really glad they pickup clothing because it becomes a nuisance to have to drive clothing around to donate it. It’s been a nice convenience to get rid of worn-out clothes without much hassle.
My favorite thing about Ridwell has been: How it's a convenient way to get rid of stuff you don't want and it just feels good. You know you're helping other people with the featured categories like canned goods and school supplies. Those are going to people that need them. Meanwhile you're maintaining a more orderly home while doing your best to not participate in the destruction of the planet.