Rhone Street Retreat

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Home of the “Spice Girl” chickens, the cozy Rhone Street Retreat AirBnB, the community Rhone Street Recycle Station, several Sidewalk Joy sights, a fun LFL, a geocache, and the Wishing Tree

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https://linktr.ee/RhoneStreetRetreat

Treat Yourself... Sustainably? 🍦🚫Okay, so you want to satisfy that sweet tooth. Maybe a cute, fruit-shaped ice cream see...
09/01/2026

Treat Yourself... Sustainably? 🍦🚫
Okay, so you want to satisfy that sweet tooth. Maybe a cute, fruit-shaped ice cream seems like the perfect summer vibe. 🍓🥭🍇🍍

5 seconds of sweet deliciousness for 500 years in the landfill? Not quite the deal we were hoping for.

Is all that plastic packaging really worth it?
Let’s talk about whether you can even recycle any part of this product.

Here’s the short and sweet answer: NO.
Let me break it down for you.

🛑 The Rigid Plastic Problem:
Those clear, shaped rigid plastic shells are NOT curbside recyclable here in the Portland Metro area. Why? Because they don’t meet our strict shape and size rules — bottle, bucket, tub, or jug < 2 inches by 2 inches.
And it gets worse—they lack a resin code (those pesky little numbers 1-7 in the triangle), which means even specialty recyclers can’t take them. They are pure trash.

🛑 The Sneaky Paperboard Problem:
You see the paper wrapper and think, “Hey, at least this part is okay!” Wrong again. 😔
Ice cream packaging has to handle freezing temperatures and condensation without turning to mush. How do they do that? With a hidden plastic coating! (Swipe to see the plastic film reveal).
Because this is a plastic-paper hybrid, it cannot be recycled.
So, in short: Zero parts of this packaging can be recycled. 😥

💡 The Real Win-Win Solution:
There is a better way! Head to one of our amazing local ice creameries for a scoop on a cone.
The “packaging”? It’s consumable and delicious!
You get zero waste, and you’re supporting a local business.
A real win-win. 🏆
BTW—I found all of this packaging blowing down my neighborhood street while doing a trash pickup this week. It likely blew right out of someone’s recycle bin, where it definitely shouldn’t have been in the first place... and now it’s properly where it belongs: in the trash! 🧹🗑️

08/31/2026

We love where we live! 🍏🍐

This weekend we hosted our 2nd Annual Neighborhood Apple & Pear Press, and it was an even bigger success than last year!

It was so incredible seeing friends and neighbors come together—whether they brought apples and pears to press, food to share, or just came for great conversation.

From chopping fruit and making fresh cider to games of corn-hole and ping-pong all followed by a big shared community meal under the neighborhood trees with wonderful conversations…it was truly a jolly good time. 🏡✨

If you missed out this year — not to worry we will have another next year!

Got extra apples or pears taking over your trees? 🍏🍐 Dust off your harvest baskets because our 2nd Annual Neighborhood A...
08/20/2026

Got extra apples or pears taking over your trees? 🍏🍐

Dust off your harvest baskets because our 2nd Annual Neighborhood Apple & Pear Press is happening next weekend!
Pick your fruit, store it in a cool spot, and bring it over to transform into fresh cider right on the spot.
Even if your fruit isn’t fully ripe, bring it along—we’ll have sugar on hand to balance the flavor.
Don’t forget to bring containers to take your juice home!

Stick around for a community dinner at 6:30 PM (we’re grilling ribs, salmon, and tri-tip—please plan to bring a summer salad or dessert to share!).
Spread the word and invite your neighbors!

📅 When: Saturday, August 29th | 12:00 PM – Late (Dinner at 6:30 PM)

📍 Where: SE 58th & Rhone St

🥤 Bring: Containers for cider, extra fruit, and a side or dessert to share for dinner!


🚫 Cold Cup Trap! Why YOU can’t trust your eyes when recycling. 🚫Just like hot coffee lids, cold drink lids are not all t...
08/17/2026

🚫 Cold Cup Trap! Why YOU can’t trust your eyes when recycling. 🚫

Just like hot coffee lids, cold drink lids are not all the same plastic! 🥤
We see folks assuming that because they all have the same job (and often look sorta similar), they belong in the same bin.
🚨 They do NOT.

There are three main kinds of cold lids, each typically a different resin:
1️⃣ The crinkly, opaque lid is usually a 6 (PS - Polystyrene).
2️⃣ The thicker, slightly cloudier clear lid is often a 5 (PP - Polypropylene).
3️⃣ The thin, crystal clear lid (frequently with the raised lip, tho not always) is usually a 1 (PETE/PET - Polyethylene Terephthalate).

BUT… “typically” or “often” isn’t good enough. Numbers and letters MUST be verified before you drop in a specialty recycle bin.

Why is this due diligence non-negotiable for specialty recyclers like James, Ridwell, P3, and others?

Contamination destroys the efforts of recycling. 💔

Sorting incorrectly makes unnecessary work for staff/volunteers and can ruin an entire batch, sending it all to the landfill.

If YOU are dropping off recycling, YOU are responsible for doing the work to sort it properly BEFORE you get to the drop-off point!

I know it’s frustrating and difficult because those damn numbers/letters are ridiculously small and hard to find. That is the manufacturer’s fault and often done intentionally — that is a whole other story and post for another day…

In the meantime, please take the extra few moments to verify the resin code (the recycling numbers/ letters — 1/PETE, 2/HDPE. 4/LDPE, 5/PP & 6/PS). It is the ONLY way these efforts work!

Like I said, I know the manufacturers make this hard, so your BEST BET? Avoid these single-use lids as much as possible. Advocate for reusable options and Bring Your Own!

🚫 Don’t just ASSUME it’s all the same plastic! 🚫I see this assumption made all the time here at the recycle station…espe...
08/15/2026

🚫 Don’t just ASSUME it’s all the same plastic! 🚫
I see this assumption made all the time here at the recycle station…especially with hot beverage lids.
I totally get it too – they look similar, they serve the same function (keep your drink hot and not on your shirt), so they must be the same plastic, right?
Nope. Thinking “a lid is a lid” and not verifying the resin code on each item is one of the quickest ways to contaminate our recycling streams.

Here’s the reality check (swipe through the photos to see the proof 🕵️‍♀️):
➡️ Slide 1: Three lids. Two are white, one is black. It’s easy to group the white ones together.
➡️ Slide 2: Many people correctly identify that the black lid is a #6 (PS - Polystyrene). (closer look shows the code).

🛑 The Fatal Assumption: This is where it goes wrong. People assume that because both remaining lids are white, they must be the same number. And yes I know that the pesky resin codes are tiny and often hard to find – that’s where magnifying glasses come in handy.

➡️ Slide 3: Let’s look closer at one of those white lids (the Solo Traveler). It is, in fact, a PS 6..
➡️ Slide 4: THE PLOT TWIST. Now look at the other white lid (the Starbucks lid). It is actually a 5 PP.
➡️ Slide 5: The Lesson — Brand and Color don’t matter. Blue lid, White lid, Black lid...different colors, shared function — different plastics (6 PS vs 5 PP)

Checking for the actual number and letters is the ONLY correct way to identify and sort.

Why this matters at the Rhone Street Recycle Station (or any other specialty recycling collection facility!):

Mixed resins cannot be properly recycled.
1️⃣ They make unnecessary work for recyclers.
2️⃣ OR, they render the entire batch contaminated and it ends up as landfill waste. 💔
Please, do the due diligence and take that extra few moments to find and verify the resin code before you toss your recycling in the bins.

The same goes for your curbside recycling and the importance of taking the extra moments to verify the items you are putting in the bin are actually recyclable curbside!

Thank you for your efforts — they genuinely make a difference!

08/13/2026

Welcome back to Part 2 of my Pre-Sorting Series:
the Multi-Layer Plastics (MLP) Edition! ♻️✨

Did you know that bagging your recyclables inside other bags is actually a bad recycling habit?
Just like with curbside bins, recyclables need to be LOOSE! In the bin.
When recyclables are stuffed inside a bag, it’s nearly impossible to spot contaminants before they hit the depot.

Today, I had to dump out several bags stuffed in bags to ensure everything inside was properly sorted, and look what we found hiding inside:

🐶 Leftover dog food bits (Remember: items must be CLEAN & DRY! — that means empty BEFORE they come here!
📦 Plastic Film mailers (belonging in the Plastic Film bin, not MLP!)
🧴 Loose plastic caps (these go in our dedicated Loose Plastic Caps Bin - it’s the orange one)
🍞 Non-MLP items like metal twists & bread tags
🚫 Non-recyclable cling wrap/shrink wrap

❓Why does keeping items loose matter?❓

When materials are loose in the bin, it makes it SO much easier to sort and catch non-eligible items, which helps to prevent contamination and ensures the collected recyclables actually get processed properly!

So next time you drop off at the station:
1️⃣ Empty your items out of the bag and loose into the bin.
2️⃣ Check for any foreign contaminantes and that everything is clean & dry!
3️⃣ Sort into the correct bin - is it MLP or PL or a hard plastic

Let’s keep our collections clean, dry, and correctly sorted together!

Drop a comment below if you have any questions about what goes where! 👇

08/12/2026

Part 1: Plastic Film vs. Multi-Layer Plastic! ♻️

Here’s a quick behind-the-scenes look at how I sort through materials before a recycling depot run!

Sorting can get tricky—especially when items are dropped off bagged up instead of loose in the bin. Dropping items in tied bags creates extra work for sorting through and scanning for hidden contaminants. Worse, if anything wet is trapped inside, it can ruin and contaminate the whole batch!

Here are a few quick tips to help keep this recycling station running smoothly:
•Keep It Loose: Always empty your materials directly into the bin rather than dropping off bagged up plastics.
•Remove Bread Tags & Clips: Always take off rigid plastic or wire closures before adding bread bags to the plastic film bin…and be sure the bags are completely of all crumbs!
•Skip the Saran Wrap: Cling wrap and shrink wrap aren’t recyclable locally due to high contamination—toss those straight into the trash.
•Test the Plastic: Can you push your thumb through it—if so, it “may” be plastic film! If you scrunch it up and it crinkles loudly or pops back open into shape quickly, it’s likely multi-layer plastic.
• Read the Labels: When in doubt, check the bin labels before emptying your bag! And always feel welcome to send me a DM or email with questions. You can even schedule a one-on-one sorting session with me here at the station!

Check out the video to see how we sort out these common sneaky contaminants, and stay tuned for Part 2 where we dive into sorting Multi-Layer Plastics!

💬 Check out the video to see how I sort out these common sneaky contaminants, and stay tuned for Part 2 where I show behind-the-scenes sorting of the Multi-Layer Plastics!

💬 I’d love your input:
Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on how to help people remember not to drop off their recycling all bagged up?
Let me know in the comments below!👇

Huge thank you to the amazing volunteers who showed up this past Saturday, August 8th, for the Second Saturday Foster Ro...
08/12/2026

Huge thank you to the amazing volunteers who showed up this past Saturday, August 8th, for the Second Saturday Foster Road Cleanup! 🧹✨

Together, 8 volunteers picked up 10 full bags of trash—roughly 80 lbs removed from Laurelwood Park and the heart of the Foster Road business district! 🌳💪

We were also joined by a volunteer from the Foster-Powell Neighborhood Association, who shared details about the Friends of Trees ‘free tree program’.
Did you know Portlanders can sign up to receive up to three FREE trees for their front or backyards?
Check out the photos in this post for all the details on how to claim yours! 🌳🏠🌲

Missed this Cleanup?
Mark your calendar and join us next time!

📅 Next Cleanup: Saturday, September 12th
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Location: Laurelwood Park (SE 64th Ave & Foster Rd)

All ages and abilities are welcome.
See you there! 👋

Let’s keep Foster Road looking bright and beautiful! 🌟 Join me for the 2nd Saturday Cleanup on August 8th from 10 AM to ...
08/03/2026

Let’s keep Foster Road looking bright and beautiful! 🌟

Join me for the 2nd Saturday Cleanup on August 8th from 10 AM to 12 PM.

Come together to help build a stronger community and give back to the neighborhood. All ages and abilities are welcome! 💛🌱

📍 Where: Laurelwood Park (SE 64th Ave & Foster Rd, Portland, OR)
⏰ When: Aug 8th | 10 AM – 12 PM
📲 RSVP: Scan the QR code in the flyer or just show up!

Follow for ongoing updates.
Hope to see you there! 🙌✨

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Portland, OR
97086-97299

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