Plus, a major San Jose mall has a new owner
 
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Today’s Forecast

63º | Early clouds, sunny afternoon | 20% chance of rain | Sunrise: 7:17 a.m. | Sunset: 5:22 p.m.
 

♻️ South Bay mom shares her favorite hack for sustainable recycling
a woman puts a bag in a white bin
Ridwell makes recycling so easy that you don’t even have to take your bin to the curb — they’ll pick it up at your front door. | Photo provided by Ridwell
Meet Elizabeth Langer, a San Jose mom working in education and as a part-time consultant for a sustainable cleaning product company, who advocates for the three R’s (reduce, reuse, and recycle) — particularly with plastic. As we step into 2024, we asked Elizabeth to share her go-to sustainability tips with the South Bay community, in hopes of paving the path for a greener year.

Elizabeth has always been mindful of minimizing plastic in her daily life, choosing eco-friendly options like repurposing plastic containers for cleaning products, and keeping reusable utensils, straws + containers on hand. She faced a challenge when her son returned from college, resulting in a pile of air pillows and bubble mailers accumulating in the garage, prompting Elizabeth to seek a solution.

That’s when Elizabeth heard about Ridwell from her cousin in Washington. Ridwell, a Seattle-based recycling start-up, started as a father-son project with CEO, Ryan Metzger, and his son, Owen, trying to recycle their batteries in Seattle. And after receiving so much interest from the South Bay community, Ridwell came to San Jose in September 2023.

Ridwell has become an essential part of Elizabeth’s family routine, providing doorstep pickup for items like plastic film and multi-layer plastics (chip bags, snack wrappers) that are not recycled by regular curbside programs.

a warehouse baler with pallets of recycled plastic

After Ridwell picks up your plastic film, 98.2% of it gets diverted from landfills.

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Photo provided by Ridwell

Beyond plastics, Ridwell collects batteries, light bulbs, clothes, and more. They partner with 200+ local and regional businesses to ensure responsible reuse or recycling of these items. One way Ridwell keeps plastic out of landfills is through its partnership with Hydroblox — a company that repurposes multi-layer plastic into construction materials.

With Ridwell, Elizabeth knows her small actions are making a difference and encourages the community to embrace this solution to send less waste to landfills.

For an effortless way to be more sustainable in 2024, become a Ridwell member. San Joseans can subscribe for as little as $14 a month, significantly reducing household waste. Pro tip: Join Ridwell this January and get your first month free.
Start your sustainable journey
Asked

Which items would you like Ridwell to recycle for you?
A. Light bulbs
B. Wine corks
C. Plastic film and snack wrappers
D. Other
We're curious
 
Events
Tuesday, Jan. 23
  • San Jose Sharks vs. New York Rangers | Tuesday, Jan. 23 | 7:30 p.m. | SAP Center, 525 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose | $21-$422 | After a rough string of road games, the Sharks take on this strong Eastern Conference team.
  • Karaoke Night | Tuesday, Jan. 23 | 8-11:45 p.m. | Renegades Bar, 501 W. Taylor St., San Jose | Free | Enjoy local talent or step up to the mic yourself at this weekly event.
Wednesday, Jan. 24
  • Open Mic | Wednesday, Jan. 24 | 8 p.m. | San Jose Improv, 62 S. Second St., San Jose | $5 | See local comedians hone their chops, or step up to the mic yourself in this weekly comedy showcase.
Thursday, Jan. 25
  • Don Friesen | Thursday, Jan. 25 | 8 p.m. | Rooster T. Feathers Comedy Club, 157 W. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale | $10 | This comedian is the only two-time winner in the 41-year history of the prestigious San Francisco International Comedy Competition.
  • Boy Band Bash | Thursday, Jan. 25 | 8 p.m. | The Ritz, 400 S. First St., San Jose | $17-$20 | There’s no tearing up your heart while everybody rocks their body to these pop classics.
  • Prism Party | Thursday, Jan. 25 | 9-11:30 p.m. | 386 Lounge, 386 S. First St., San Jose | $5-$10 | Enjoy a rotating lineup of the Bay Area’s up-and-coming drag artists.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Real Estate
  • A real estate group has purchased Eastridge Mall for ~$135 million. The New York- and Texas-based business executive + real estate magnate Jiashu Xu acted through an affiliate to complete the purchase. It is unclear if this purchase will affect operations at the mall. (The Mercury News)
Sports
Civic
  • San Jose is considering a first-of-its-kind ban on encampments along the Guadalupe River. The move would declare a section of trail between Woz Way + Julian Street a “no-return zone,” which would prevent people struggling with housing insecurity from camping. See how you can help your fellow residents with these resources. (KTVU Fox 2)
Outdoors
  • A national non-profit organization struck a deal to purchase Richmond Ranch for ~$16 million. If approved by City Council, the fund would then sell the 3,694-acre site in three parcels to Santa Clara County’s Parks and Recreation + the Habitat Agency to preserve as an open space. (The Mercury News)
Concert
  • It won’t be so complicated… Pop rock icon Avril Lavigne is bringing her Greatest Hits 2024 tour to Shoreline Amphitheatre on May 28. Emo rockers All Time Low + Royal and the Serpent will open the show. Pre-sale tickets go on sale this Friday, Jan. 24. (The Mercury News)
Giveaway
  • For the 49ers faithful… AC Hotels + Santa Clara are hosting an Instagram giveaway for a signed Deebo Samuel mini helmet and a two-night stay in a one bedroom suite. To enter, you need to follow the hotel and Discover Santa Clara on Instagram, tag a friend, and share the post to your story.
Contest

📸 San Jose, can you see?

See the winner of our 2023 Picture of the Year contest
Three photos on a grid: water lanterns in dark water, a wine glass overlooking the South Bay, and lowriders at City Hall. A text overlay: "2023's Picture of the Year Finalists"
Which of our finalists deserves the crown? | Graphic by SJtoday staff
Who knew there were so many talented photographers in San Jose?

The submissions for our 2023 Picture of the Year contest are in and we’ve had the chance to narrow down the competition to three spectacular finalists.

From lowriders at City Hall to spectacular views overlooking the South Bay, we had some serious competition this year. Check out our top finalists + runners-up.

Voting closes Sunday, Jan. 28 — so be sure to vote for the photo you think should be crowned the winner of the inaugural SJtoday Picture of the Year contest. Pssst — don’t forget that the winner will receive a $25 gift card to use at our online marketplace, Six & Main.
Vote on your favorite
The Buy

The Buy 1.23.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
These butterluxe high-waisted leggings. Considered a Lululemon alternative by reviewers, they’re made of buttery soft fabric and feature gentle compression.
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The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
Gregg
From the editor
I’m obsessed with stories concerning local wildlife acting in bizarre ways. So of course this story of a nosy squirrel spying on a San Jose couple is both fascinating and entertaining. Though I would have opted to name them “Rocky.” Have a fun story about a critter acting funny? Let me know.
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