July 7, 2025 • 22 mins
Maria chats with The Sultan of Garbage author Brian Belefant about how we can all do our part--even if it's small--to reduce waste in our everyday lives! Although fiction, the book shares four tips on how to reduce waste: repurpose materials (be creative!); create "free piles"; donate rather than throw away; think about your purchases.
To learn more about Brian, go to BELEFANT.COM.
To learn more about Brian, go to BELEFANT.COM.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Maria as MutS and Stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
What a great idea.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
On iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to Maria's MutS and Stuff. And with me today
is author Brian Bellafont with his latest book, The Sultan
of Garbage. So hi, Brian, h MA, thanks for having me.
Absolutely so okay, I have to give it full disclosure
as soon as we start, because I'm kind of old
school and I love books and the feel of books.
(00:31):
And I know I was sent like a digital copy
of your book, and I asked you to send me a.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Book, which you did.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
And then it's just really funny because on the back
of your book the last line is, you know, I
know the irony isn't lost. How many trees were destroyed
in order to print this book? Maybe you should buy
the digital version.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
So I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
I don't apologize to me. You know what, here's my thing.
You know, I'm not an evangelist as much as I
am a guy who just goes.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Let's think about this, right, you know, yes, I like stuff.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Everybody likes stuff, but we live in a world where
we consume a lot and we waste a lot.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Absolutely, No, you're right, yeah, you know, it's almost like
it goes all the way back to like the George
Carland bit about you have a house for your stuff, right, Yeah,
and it's true because.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
I mean, and I think, and this is terrible to
think about.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
But it also goes with what your book at this
topic is is if I died tomorrow, they're just going
to throw out all my stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Not about you know what I mean. So like, why
am I saving things?
Speaker 1 (01:33):
You know, that's a that's a personal thing for me
because my mom passed away last year and I'm doing
I'm sorry. Yes, yes, you know it meant a lot
to her, some of these things, and it's really kind
of amazing the stuff that means something to me that
you know, she had that didn't have that special meaning
for her. Right, But it's a connection you make.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yes, So yeah, yeah, no, I get it.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I tell my kids just like set fire to the
garage because that's it.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, No, I get it, that's what That's what I
tell them, just you know, throw stuff out. Just what
if it happens, Just throw everything out because I have stuff.
But okay, so we're both on the same page with that.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
But let's talk about this book.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
So this is why you wrote The Sultan of garbage, right,
to get people's eyes open to the fact that we
don't need all the stuff we have. Garbage is there's
too much garbage on the earth.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Right, this is the reason why you wrote it.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Well, i'd like to I mean sort of, that's that's
that's the way it comes across. But the reason I
wrote the book is because I used to work in
advertising and marketing. I was the guy who was helping
to create the world where we consume too much crap, right,
And this is sort of book sort of came out
as a form of penance.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Really.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
I mean it's about a guy much like myself, but
this guy's a product photographer and he's helping to contribute
to this world, and he's living in his own world
of too much consumption and waste and not being valued
and stuff. And it's just a way to work that
out what we really value, what do we really need?
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Right?
Speaker 2 (02:59):
So did I mean your are you Alex a little
bit the main character? Or because does he live oh okay, okay, okay,
Because I was saying, do you live vicariously through him?
Or I think he lives through you?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Right?
Speaker 4 (03:16):
I think me.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
I mean a lot of the experiences that I put
in the book are taken from my own life experiences.
I am a photographer. I did study with a photographer
and photography teacher in Italy. A lot of the lessons
that the photography teacher imparts to Alex are lessons that
my teachers imparted to me, and that I came up
with my on my own. The experiences you've had or
(03:39):
very are drawn from my experiences, they're not directly. So yeah,
it is a way to sort of exercise a lot
of those demons.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I guess, Okay, that's fair.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Yeah, I mean that's fair because yeah, I get that.
And also I feel like with Alex there's always there's
like a lesson which is like a to me, it
was like a subtle hint about the fact that we
have too much stuff, you know, when like when he
find he finds the espresso maker and he brings it
home and Grace right, and she's like, oh, I wanted
(04:10):
a new one, but he was like, well, this one's fine,
and you know, the whole thing like we need to recycle.
So I just liked all the little subtleties of getting
the message across.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Yeah, I don't want to be strivent. I mean this
guy is trying to work it out. I mean he
likes stuff, but he also goes, hey, this old espresso
machine has value?
Speaker 4 (04:30):
What's wrong with it?
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Right?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yeah, which is also, in an interesting way, kind of
how society looks at people sometimes. You know, I feel
like in our country, no, but seriously, I feel like
we don't value senior citizens like we should with all
their knowledge. And you know, and it's not even senior citizens.
It's like almost if you're over thirty, you know, you
don't know anything, like wait what you know?
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Well? Yeah, And not to get too political, but when
Rfu was going on about autistic people and how it's like,
these are people who will never go on a date,
and I'm like, you know what, my son's autistic and
he may never go on a date. But that is
not the reason to exclude somebody from a society.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Cor kid is my kid is amazing because he's my kid, Right,
But do you contribute value? Yeah, that's not.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Right, right, Right, everybody's here for a reason. Their value
is everybody has value, And yes, I agree, I agree, And.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
You know what, that's not political at all.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
I think it's just having a soul and a heart
and empathy and compassion. It's not political, and I think
many times things that come out that people make it
political when it's really just common sense and having a
little bit of compassion. You know, absolutely, you know, and
I'm sure we both grew up with the same type
of parents that told us and many of my listeners
(05:53):
the same kind of like put yourself in someone else's shoes.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
I heard that my whole life from my parents.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
You had better parents than I did.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Oh that's not true.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
I've heard you were you know, I was a lat
kid kid, and then there was a whole lot of
well figure it out right kind of what I.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Got, right, Okay, Well, that's okay, it's all right, it's
nothing to be ashamed of. It's fine.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Yeah, it worked for.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Me, It works exactly exactly. So I feel like I'm
going to talk to you for like hours now, and
we're not going to talk about your book, So let's
talk about more of I don't think that people realize.
I just know from over the years of interviewing people
about plastics in the ocean, and I just remember this
from maybe five years ago, that the percentage was very small,
(06:41):
and you know, saying like and then I read like
in the press release that back in twenty nineteen, only
nine percent of plastic has been recycled. And you think, okay, well,
now to me twenty nineteen because I kind of forget
about COVID, but it is a pre COVID post COVID,
and twenty nineteen is now six years ago, which I
lost track of time. But how it says by the
(07:02):
time it's twenty forty, it's still going to be under
ten percent, Like, how can that be possible?
Speaker 1 (07:07):
That could be possible because we're still creating more than
we can get rid of. Yeah, and we're also when
you look at the plopping countries, people want to move
into middle class, and middle class means owning things and
having the house to hold the things that they own,
and those things, a lot of them come in packages.
And those packages, once you open them up their.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Waist, correct go to the supermarket and they and the
thing to do that they always say is to take
your own bags, like cloth bags to put vegetables and
fruits in. I never see people do it, and I
always and I have those bags, and I always forget
to do it. I'm mean, I have to be honest,
So right there, all of those plastic bags, you know,
even though they're thin plastic, and I'm sure they break
(07:45):
down at some point, but you know, we all.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Do it also.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
So it's and then you buy something and it's wrapped
in such plastic that it's impossible to even open. That
stuff doesn't break down, and yeah, ultimately end up in
the ocean.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
So well yeah, yeah, when it ends up in the ocean,
it ends up in the animals in the ocean, and
the animals in the ocean up in your you know,
that's right, one way or the other, and then you
end up with plastic in your brain.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Exactly now for me, exactly, And I always feel like
that's a reason why I always think a lot of
the illnesses we have, like cancer, why is it so
prevalent now than it was in our grandparents in great
grandparents' time.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Well, you know, I think plastics have a lot to
do with it, But that's just me.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
But I also think, you know, stress has a lot
to do with it, and stress comes from living in
a society where you know, yes, the emphasis is on consumption. Yeah,
we got to do it, We got to keep up.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
We have to keep up Yeah, No, you're right.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
You're right. So what would be your first advice to
someone who wants to be proactive and try to make
the world a better place for themselves and the future generations.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
I know it's a hard one.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Sorry, raise really thoughtful kids. That's huge, huge undertaking. And
I do think it comes down to general rational shift.
We gotta we got to move the ocean miner, and
those things move, the changes come slowly. I do think
that change. A lot of change that we see is positive.
(09:14):
It's just on the one hand, we want to move
the ocean miner and change our society for the better.
On the other hand, it's oftentimes the little thing's going
to make a huge difference. Right, And like we were
talking about, like you were talking about the plastic bags. Yeah,
I go to the grocery store and I forget that
they're in the trunk of my car, right, And you
know by the time I get to the cash here,
it's like, ah, right. I live in a place where
(09:36):
a lot of times cash will be like, well, run
to the car, get the backs. But if there's a
line behind me, I don't want to do.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
That, correct, That's right.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I just have to like the little thing is as
I'm getting out of the car at the grocery store,
remember that the bag is in the trunk.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Right, not a big big right.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
That's true.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Right, And that's true, And that's an easy thing and
that's actually an easy assignment for anybody to do.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
Yeah. Did that answer your question?
Speaker 1 (09:57):
I don't know if it did.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
I think it did.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, because I yes, it did, it did,
because I just feel like there were so many different
things that we can tell people that they need to do,
even and you defined it on a really on a
smaller scale, and that is a very small scale and
something very easy to remember to do. But that makes
a big difference if everybody does it. I mean we're
talking about millions and billions of people, so strength in numbers,
(10:20):
you know, if we all remember to take it out
of the trunk, or if you live in an urban area,
to bring it out of your apartment before you go shopping,
you know, or as you know, carry.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
It with you. Yeah, And can I just make it
like two points here. One is people notice, or maybe
the people who listen to your show notice, And I
didn't say out of the saddle bags of my bike.
You know that Yeah, Okay, I ride my bike to
the grocery store when I'm picking up a couple of things, right,
But I also take my car when I know I'm
going to get two grocery bags full of stuff, and
there's no way I'm going to be a pedal home
(10:52):
with all that crap, right. And I think the important
part of that goes to the second thing I was
going to say. It's sort of like the diet thing.
You know, people take these millets and approaches to diet
where it's like I am not going to eat an
ounce of fat and you are destined to fail.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Forgive yourself if you forgot the bags or you left
them in the trunk.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Let it go.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Yeah, try and remember next time it's about a lifestyle change,
not about all or nothing.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
And you know what, And I think that pertains to everything,
like you just said, your diet, your lifestyle, recycling, you know,
helping out the environment, everything. You're absolutely right, You're right.
And I think I don't know if it's our society,
I'm not sure, but it's that.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
You know, succeed succeed, succeed.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
You can't fail, and then you kind of we kind
of beat ourselves up if we forget the bag and
the you know at home, or you forgot to put
it in your in your saddle, you know.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Yeah, And it's like kind of like, lighten up, give
yourself a break. It's okay, you'll do it the next.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
Time, right.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Yeah, that's a very good point. I like that, and
I think it's really no, it is. It's very valuable
to anyone who's listening who because everybody can relate to that.
You know, I feel like everybody's under so much pressure
to always succeed, succeed.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
But don't beat yourself up.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
I think a good point too is and I see
plenty of people walking around with water bottles, but not
the plastic bottles like that they can refill.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
That's you know, like something like that. It is great
to do.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
And you know, I got to say, and I'm going
to say this because it worked for me, is when
you think about these microplastics that basically plastic does disintegrate
that comes into these you know, these little particles past
plastic end up going into the environment or whatever. But
if the plastic is disintegrating, you know what's disintegrating into.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
The bottle as well.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
I suddenly realized one day that I was drinking microplastics,
and I'm thinking, I want to limit my intake of microplastics. Yes,
so that's when I started going, Oh, I'm going to
carry a water bottle of any kind. It's not going
to be the one I buy it, you know at
the grocery store or the seven eleven or whatever. Right,
(13:05):
it's gonna be a little metal bottle that And the
cool thing is, oh, I was just remember the brand.
There's a brand of water. I was in the airport
the traveling the other day and they had this brand
of water that came in a metal bottle. But it
was sturdy enough that I can reuse it.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Wow, great, I got my bottle at the airport because
I forgot what I'm supposed to travel with.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
And then now I.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Have a water bottle that I put in my satchel
that I'm going to go out and do stuff.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Yes, you know what. I know that bottle because I
have that, and I saved it. And I can't remember
the name, but you're absolutely right.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
And I got away Yeah, for the company the water
stor Yeah, watermelon flavor.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
Oh wow?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Oh really see mine was and I remember and it
was a it was a metal bottle, and it had
had some it had blue on.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
It, okay, yeah, and it was orange pinky.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Oh okay, because mine was just like regular, it was
just plain water. But the whole point was that, like
you said, you could just keep reusing it because it
was a metal bottle and the best thing.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
It can have water cold. This poor company, you know,
they're doing a great thing. And both of us can't
remember the name. I love it.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
I'm you right away.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
It's really funny. But for everyone who's listening, be on
the lookout for that. It's because it's great. I still
have mine and I save them, I mean from last year,
because I also know I'm not going to be you know,
drinking plastics, because that's the thing too. I remember when
that came out a couple of years ago about how
plastic does break down. So you know, I was in
the habit of keeping a water bottle, not the kind
(14:31):
that you refill, but like a regular water bottle, you know,
like I'm pulling spring or something in my car, and
then would always refill it. And it's like, oh great,
that's great. What have I been drinking? So throw that out?
Speaker 4 (14:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Yeah, Well, this is all very good.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
I mean I think you know, well, yeah, thank you
for sharing your knowledge and in your book and just
with me now, because I think most people are good
and most people have good intentions, they just don't know
where to start. And I think, also tell me if
you agree with this. Sometime times people think, well, I'm
just one person, so it doesn't matter.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
And I agree with you one hundred percent. I think
my wife and I you know, I'm not as diligent
as she is with the recycling. I sometimes like some
stuff just me and I'm just like, can.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
I ask you? What? What skis you?
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Oh? Okay, we just got back from a trip and
we have a little bread box with stuff in there.
And there's moldy left over English muffins from before we
left and.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Green was it like green and stuff? Oh that's kind
of cool though. It's like a science project.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Yeah, it's great to look at. I don't want to
go near it.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Okay, I get it.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
I understand.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
So that's okay, yeah, you know, and so superants out
the bag and I'm just like.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Oh yeah, you don't want to have any part of it.
I understand that. Yeah, yeah, because it had the moldy
English muffin. I got it. Yeah, but I think it's funny.
But I understand, I understand. But I think if everybody
he does one thing, you know, it's the old thing
that takes a village. Right, we can all chip in
somehow or other. And and I love the fact that
(16:07):
your book kind of tells the story but kind of
gives all these little oh and by the way, right.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
And can I just say, because I don't think it's
really been clear, is that this is not a manifesto.
This is not a things you can do to save
the planet book.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
This is a story.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
It's a story. Oh yeah, I'm sorry.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
And it's like it touches on those things. But I
hope it's not preachy. No, you know, it's like trying
to work it out.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Yeah, no, it wasn't preachy at all.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
No, no, no, not at all.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
And I'm sorry if I didn't explain that better from
the beginning. But no, it's not preachy. It's not like
a how to guide.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
It's a story.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Yeah, it's a story, right.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
I mean a lot of times when i'm writing, so
it's just the other day I'm working on Southern novel,
and it's like, oh, my agenda is showing, and I
got to just throw away the whole like everything I
worked on for the last three days. Oh, because I
don't want to do.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
That, right, Oh, but why you shouldn't throw it out?
In fact, I was going to ask you, what's next?
Can you tell any little bit about it?
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Or you don't have to.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Tell you a lot of it?
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (17:03):
So they're actually I'm working on a couple of things simultaneously,
but one I'm most excited about, and I'm going to
get in a lot of trouble for this. Uh.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Oh, are you sure you want to tell me?
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I don't know, all right.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Okay, so let me just preface it.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
I think pretty much everything I do is societal commentary,
and I hope it's funny. I think it's intended to
be funny. I'll tell you about the manuscript I just finished,
rather than what I'm working on now, which is kind
of a It's a societal commentary and it goes into
some of the same stuff that consumption of waste, but
also our culture's obsession with different forms of morality. It's
(17:37):
about a retired assassin. Oh, we still holds a candle
for his wife who recently departed and is suddenly captured
and sent to a secret prison. Wow, and has to
break out and protect his fourteen year old son. And
it is fun as crap.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Wow. It also sounds like it would be a really
good movie.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
I sure hope. So yeah, to make it a movie.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Yeah, I would like to see that as a movie.
And I don't know anything about it except what you
just told me.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
You sold me yay, I did it. You did it.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Yay.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
That's pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
So that one is done, correct, it's done.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
It hasn't found a home yet, okay. I haven't actually
started sending it out.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Yet, Okay, but I think that will probably find a
home very quickly.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
No, I think so.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I like it a lot, Okay, so I'm going to
be looking for that. And then the other thing you're
working on, which I don't want you to get into trouble,
so you don't have to tell me, but you know,
we'll talk again because I like talking to you, and
then you can you can tell me about it. Yeah, yeah,
that would be great. Okay, So before you go, I
do have one question, because what I was reading about
you on the press release, you have to tell me
(18:44):
why your dog does it like Santa Claus.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
I don't know. It's the weirdest thing. Okay, So my
daughter was seven, she said she wanted a dog. We
got this dog, Milo, and we wanted to take him
to get his picture taken with Santa Claus.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
He's freaked out, freaked out in my way, like barking, panicking.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
He didn't want to get in Santa's lap, growled and stuff.
And I'm not going to say whether I believe that
there's a Santa Claus or not, because some of your
listeners might.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Yeah, they might believe in Santa Claus. That's true, you know.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Different from yes, I will say if this was the
real Santa Claus, then there's a problem. If it was
a guy pretending to be Santa Claus.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Okay, maybe right, right, right, But if there's a yeah,
but if there's a real Santa Claus, like no one's
getting gifts this year now visiting he's like holding up
in the North Pole. Yeah I get it, Yeah, I
get it. That's really funny. And you never tried it again.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
No, okay, cause you were afraid traumatized. Yeah, for sure,
I'm Santa Claus was trumpatized too. I'm sure, I'm.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Sure, but you know, because i'm I'm probably Santa Claus
was less traumatized by the dog because Santa Claus sometimes
gets screaming children on his lap.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Well, and you got to figure the guy's breaking into
people's houses.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Well, that's exactly right, exactly right, And you know that
could be why the dog freaked out because dogs have
that spidey sense that we don't have. So maybe, you know,
maybe Milo sense like, hey, this dude's gonna break into
my house, so I'm going to bark at him now,
so my parents know that I'll bark at him when
he breaks in. I'm just thinking, I'm just I think
(20:18):
you're right.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
I choose between Milo and Santa.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
I picked Milo any day.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Yeah, of course, because Milo's a dog and we love dogs. Yes,
I get that. Well, Brian, you are so much fun.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yes? Can I just say yes, I love that you're
doing podcasts. My wife works in animal welfare and it's
something really really close to us.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Oh, so I should really plan on talking to her.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
You should.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Okay, not only that?
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Okay, can I just say one year?
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Yes? Weird coincidental? So you did back in December an
episode with Michelle Hollow mm hmmm, yes about Mary Annie.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yes, I know Michelle for many, many, many many years.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Yes, well, my wife is obsessed with Mary Anna.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Oh really, Oh my goodness, oh wow, So I should
really connect your wife with Michelle.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Well, I think you should have my wife on the
show because she does work for the Humane Society.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Is the vice president of communication.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Okay, Well that's a given. Okay, well that's a given. Okay,
So all right, we're going to do this. I'm going
to tell my listeners who would like to get a
copy of the Sultan of Garbage and digital, so not
to be wasteful like me because I wanted a book,
and they can go to bellefont dot com b E
L E F A n T dot com.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Is that the best place for them to get the book?
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Yeah, you can.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Actually, we have a website for the book Sultan of
Garbage dot com.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
One word, oh, okay, of garbage even better.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
And that'll that'll guide you and there if you want
hard copies of the book, there's a list of independent
books towards that carry the book there too as well. Okay,
you don't have to feel like, oh, Barnes and whatever.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Right exactly. Yes, that's perfect. Well, Ryan Bellefont, thank you
so much for your time. I know we're going to
talk again because I really like talking to you.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Thanks, I can't wait.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
I can't wait.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
And uh, we're gonna continue talking because I want to
get your wife's info.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
So thank you.
Speaker 4 (22:09):
All right, Thanks Marie
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Rader operator, and see your Rader momigator
It's Maria as MutS and Stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
What a great idea.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
On iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to Maria's MutS and Stuff. And with me today
is author Brian Bellafont with his latest book, The Sultan
of Garbage. So hi, Brian, h MA, thanks for having me.
Absolutely so okay, I have to give it full disclosure
as soon as we start, because I'm kind of old
school and I love books and the feel of books.
(00:31):
And I know I was sent like a digital copy
of your book, and I asked you to send me a.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Book, which you did.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
And then it's just really funny because on the back
of your book the last line is, you know, I
know the irony isn't lost. How many trees were destroyed
in order to print this book? Maybe you should buy
the digital version.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
So I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
I don't apologize to me. You know what, here's my thing.
You know, I'm not an evangelist as much as I
am a guy who just goes.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Let's think about this, right, you know, yes, I like stuff.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Everybody likes stuff, but we live in a world where
we consume a lot and we waste a lot.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Absolutely, No, you're right, yeah, you know, it's almost like
it goes all the way back to like the George
Carland bit about you have a house for your stuff, right, Yeah,
and it's true because.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
I mean, and I think, and this is terrible to
think about.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
But it also goes with what your book at this
topic is is if I died tomorrow, they're just going
to throw out all my stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Not about you know what I mean. So like, why
am I saving things?
Speaker 1 (01:33):
You know, that's a that's a personal thing for me
because my mom passed away last year and I'm doing
I'm sorry. Yes, yes, you know it meant a lot
to her, some of these things, and it's really kind
of amazing the stuff that means something to me that
you know, she had that didn't have that special meaning
for her. Right, But it's a connection you make.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yes, So yeah, yeah, no, I get it.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I tell my kids just like set fire to the
garage because that's it.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, No, I get it, that's what That's what I
tell them, just you know, throw stuff out. Just what
if it happens, Just throw everything out because I have stuff.
But okay, so we're both on the same page with that.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
But let's talk about this book.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
So this is why you wrote The Sultan of garbage, right,
to get people's eyes open to the fact that we
don't need all the stuff we have. Garbage is there's
too much garbage on the earth.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Right, this is the reason why you wrote it.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Well, i'd like to I mean sort of, that's that's
that's the way it comes across. But the reason I
wrote the book is because I used to work in
advertising and marketing. I was the guy who was helping
to create the world where we consume too much crap, right,
And this is sort of book sort of came out
as a form of penance.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Really.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
I mean it's about a guy much like myself, but
this guy's a product photographer and he's helping to contribute
to this world, and he's living in his own world
of too much consumption and waste and not being valued
and stuff. And it's just a way to work that
out what we really value, what do we really need?
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Right?
Speaker 2 (02:59):
So did I mean your are you Alex a little
bit the main character? Or because does he live oh okay, okay, okay,
Because I was saying, do you live vicariously through him?
Or I think he lives through you?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Right?
Speaker 4 (03:16):
I think me.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
I mean a lot of the experiences that I put
in the book are taken from my own life experiences.
I am a photographer. I did study with a photographer
and photography teacher in Italy. A lot of the lessons
that the photography teacher imparts to Alex are lessons that
my teachers imparted to me, and that I came up
with my on my own. The experiences you've had or
(03:39):
very are drawn from my experiences, they're not directly. So yeah,
it is a way to sort of exercise a lot
of those demons.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I guess, Okay, that's fair.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Yeah, I mean that's fair because yeah, I get that.
And also I feel like with Alex there's always there's
like a lesson which is like a to me, it
was like a subtle hint about the fact that we
have too much stuff, you know, when like when he
find he finds the espresso maker and he brings it
home and Grace right, and she's like, oh, I wanted
(04:10):
a new one, but he was like, well, this one's fine,
and you know, the whole thing like we need to recycle.
So I just liked all the little subtleties of getting
the message across.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Yeah, I don't want to be strivent. I mean this
guy is trying to work it out. I mean he
likes stuff, but he also goes, hey, this old espresso
machine has value?
Speaker 4 (04:30):
What's wrong with it?
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Right?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yeah, which is also, in an interesting way, kind of
how society looks at people sometimes. You know, I feel
like in our country, no, but seriously, I feel like
we don't value senior citizens like we should with all
their knowledge. And you know, and it's not even senior citizens.
It's like almost if you're over thirty, you know, you
don't know anything, like wait what you know?
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Well? Yeah, And not to get too political, but when
Rfu was going on about autistic people and how it's like,
these are people who will never go on a date,
and I'm like, you know what, my son's autistic and
he may never go on a date. But that is
not the reason to exclude somebody from a society.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Cor kid is my kid is amazing because he's my kid, Right,
But do you contribute value? Yeah, that's not.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Right, right, Right, everybody's here for a reason. Their value
is everybody has value, And yes, I agree, I agree, And.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
You know what, that's not political at all.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
I think it's just having a soul and a heart
and empathy and compassion. It's not political, and I think
many times things that come out that people make it
political when it's really just common sense and having a
little bit of compassion. You know, absolutely, you know, and
I'm sure we both grew up with the same type
of parents that told us and many of my listeners
(05:53):
the same kind of like put yourself in someone else's shoes.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
I heard that my whole life from my parents.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
You had better parents than I did.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Oh that's not true.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
I've heard you were you know, I was a lat
kid kid, and then there was a whole lot of
well figure it out right kind of what I.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Got, right, Okay, Well, that's okay, it's all right, it's
nothing to be ashamed of. It's fine.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Yeah, it worked for.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Me, It works exactly exactly. So I feel like I'm
going to talk to you for like hours now, and
we're not going to talk about your book, So let's
talk about more of I don't think that people realize.
I just know from over the years of interviewing people
about plastics in the ocean, and I just remember this
from maybe five years ago, that the percentage was very small,
(06:41):
and you know, saying like and then I read like
in the press release that back in twenty nineteen, only
nine percent of plastic has been recycled. And you think, okay, well,
now to me twenty nineteen because I kind of forget
about COVID, but it is a pre COVID post COVID,
and twenty nineteen is now six years ago, which I
lost track of time. But how it says by the
(07:02):
time it's twenty forty, it's still going to be under
ten percent, Like, how can that be possible?
Speaker 1 (07:07):
That could be possible because we're still creating more than
we can get rid of. Yeah, and we're also when
you look at the plopping countries, people want to move
into middle class, and middle class means owning things and
having the house to hold the things that they own,
and those things, a lot of them come in packages.
And those packages, once you open them up their.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Waist, correct go to the supermarket and they and the
thing to do that they always say is to take
your own bags, like cloth bags to put vegetables and
fruits in. I never see people do it, and I
always and I have those bags, and I always forget
to do it. I'm mean, I have to be honest,
So right there, all of those plastic bags, you know,
even though they're thin plastic, and I'm sure they break
(07:45):
down at some point, but you know, we all.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Do it also.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
So it's and then you buy something and it's wrapped
in such plastic that it's impossible to even open. That
stuff doesn't break down, and yeah, ultimately end up in
the ocean.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
So well yeah, yeah, when it ends up in the ocean,
it ends up in the animals in the ocean, and
the animals in the ocean up in your you know,
that's right, one way or the other, and then you
end up with plastic in your brain.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Exactly now for me, exactly, And I always feel like
that's a reason why I always think a lot of
the illnesses we have, like cancer, why is it so
prevalent now than it was in our grandparents in great
grandparents' time.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Well, you know, I think plastics have a lot to
do with it, But that's just me.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
But I also think, you know, stress has a lot
to do with it, and stress comes from living in
a society where you know, yes, the emphasis is on consumption. Yeah,
we got to do it, We got to keep up.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
We have to keep up Yeah, No, you're right.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
You're right. So what would be your first advice to
someone who wants to be proactive and try to make
the world a better place for themselves and the future generations.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
I know it's a hard one.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Sorry, raise really thoughtful kids. That's huge, huge undertaking. And
I do think it comes down to general rational shift.
We gotta we got to move the ocean miner, and
those things move, the changes come slowly. I do think
that change. A lot of change that we see is positive.
(09:14):
It's just on the one hand, we want to move
the ocean miner and change our society for the better.
On the other hand, it's oftentimes the little thing's going
to make a huge difference. Right, And like we were
talking about, like you were talking about the plastic bags. Yeah,
I go to the grocery store and I forget that
they're in the trunk of my car, right, And you
know by the time I get to the cash here,
it's like, ah, right. I live in a place where
(09:36):
a lot of times cash will be like, well, run
to the car, get the backs. But if there's a
line behind me, I don't want to do.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
That, correct, That's right.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I just have to like the little thing is as
I'm getting out of the car at the grocery store,
remember that the bag is in the trunk.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Right, not a big big right.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
That's true.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Right, And that's true, And that's an easy thing and
that's actually an easy assignment for anybody to do.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
Yeah. Did that answer your question?
Speaker 1 (09:57):
I don't know if it did.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
I think it did.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, because I yes, it did, it did,
because I just feel like there were so many different
things that we can tell people that they need to do,
even and you defined it on a really on a
smaller scale, and that is a very small scale and
something very easy to remember to do. But that makes
a big difference if everybody does it. I mean we're
talking about millions and billions of people, so strength in numbers,
(10:20):
you know, if we all remember to take it out
of the trunk, or if you live in an urban area,
to bring it out of your apartment before you go shopping,
you know, or as you know, carry.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
It with you. Yeah, And can I just make it
like two points here. One is people notice, or maybe
the people who listen to your show notice, And I
didn't say out of the saddle bags of my bike.
You know that Yeah, Okay, I ride my bike to
the grocery store when I'm picking up a couple of things, right,
But I also take my car when I know I'm
going to get two grocery bags full of stuff, and
there's no way I'm going to be a pedal home
(10:52):
with all that crap, right. And I think the important
part of that goes to the second thing I was
going to say. It's sort of like the diet thing.
You know, people take these millets and approaches to diet
where it's like I am not going to eat an
ounce of fat and you are destined to fail.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Forgive yourself if you forgot the bags or you left
them in the trunk.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Let it go.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Yeah, try and remember next time it's about a lifestyle change,
not about all or nothing.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
And you know what, And I think that pertains to everything,
like you just said, your diet, your lifestyle, recycling, you know,
helping out the environment, everything. You're absolutely right, You're right.
And I think I don't know if it's our society,
I'm not sure, but it's that.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
You know, succeed succeed, succeed.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
You can't fail, and then you kind of we kind
of beat ourselves up if we forget the bag and
the you know at home, or you forgot to put
it in your in your saddle, you know.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Yeah, And it's like kind of like, lighten up, give
yourself a break. It's okay, you'll do it the next.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
Time, right.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Yeah, that's a very good point. I like that, and
I think it's really no, it is. It's very valuable
to anyone who's listening who because everybody can relate to that.
You know, I feel like everybody's under so much pressure
to always succeed, succeed.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
But don't beat yourself up.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
I think a good point too is and I see
plenty of people walking around with water bottles, but not
the plastic bottles like that they can refill.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
That's you know, like something like that. It is great
to do.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
And you know, I got to say, and I'm going
to say this because it worked for me, is when
you think about these microplastics that basically plastic does disintegrate
that comes into these you know, these little particles past
plastic end up going into the environment or whatever. But
if the plastic is disintegrating, you know what's disintegrating into.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
The bottle as well.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
I suddenly realized one day that I was drinking microplastics,
and I'm thinking, I want to limit my intake of microplastics. Yes,
so that's when I started going, Oh, I'm going to
carry a water bottle of any kind. It's not going
to be the one I buy it, you know at
the grocery store or the seven eleven or whatever. Right,
(13:05):
it's gonna be a little metal bottle that And the
cool thing is, oh, I was just remember the brand.
There's a brand of water. I was in the airport
the traveling the other day and they had this brand
of water that came in a metal bottle. But it
was sturdy enough that I can reuse it.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Wow, great, I got my bottle at the airport because
I forgot what I'm supposed to travel with.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
And then now I.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Have a water bottle that I put in my satchel
that I'm going to go out and do stuff.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Yes, you know what. I know that bottle because I
have that, and I saved it. And I can't remember
the name, but you're absolutely right.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
And I got away Yeah, for the company the water
stor Yeah, watermelon flavor.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
Oh wow?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Oh really see mine was and I remember and it
was a it was a metal bottle, and it had
had some it had blue on.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
It, okay, yeah, and it was orange pinky.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Oh okay, because mine was just like regular, it was
just plain water. But the whole point was that, like
you said, you could just keep reusing it because it
was a metal bottle and the best thing.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
It can have water cold. This poor company, you know,
they're doing a great thing. And both of us can't
remember the name. I love it.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
I'm you right away.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
It's really funny. But for everyone who's listening, be on
the lookout for that. It's because it's great. I still
have mine and I save them, I mean from last year,
because I also know I'm not going to be you know,
drinking plastics, because that's the thing too. I remember when
that came out a couple of years ago about how
plastic does break down. So you know, I was in
the habit of keeping a water bottle, not the kind
(14:31):
that you refill, but like a regular water bottle, you know,
like I'm pulling spring or something in my car, and
then would always refill it. And it's like, oh great,
that's great. What have I been drinking? So throw that out?
Speaker 4 (14:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Yeah, Well, this is all very good.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
I mean I think you know, well, yeah, thank you
for sharing your knowledge and in your book and just
with me now, because I think most people are good
and most people have good intentions, they just don't know
where to start. And I think, also tell me if
you agree with this. Sometime times people think, well, I'm
just one person, so it doesn't matter.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
And I agree with you one hundred percent. I think
my wife and I you know, I'm not as diligent
as she is with the recycling. I sometimes like some
stuff just me and I'm just like, can.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
I ask you? What? What skis you?
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Oh? Okay, we just got back from a trip and
we have a little bread box with stuff in there.
And there's moldy left over English muffins from before we
left and.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Green was it like green and stuff? Oh that's kind
of cool though. It's like a science project.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Yeah, it's great to look at. I don't want to
go near it.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Okay, I get it.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
I understand.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
So that's okay, yeah, you know, and so superants out
the bag and I'm just like.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Oh yeah, you don't want to have any part of it.
I understand that. Yeah, yeah, because it had the moldy
English muffin. I got it. Yeah, but I think it's funny.
But I understand, I understand. But I think if everybody
he does one thing, you know, it's the old thing
that takes a village. Right, we can all chip in
somehow or other. And and I love the fact that
(16:07):
your book kind of tells the story but kind of
gives all these little oh and by the way, right.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
And can I just say, because I don't think it's
really been clear, is that this is not a manifesto.
This is not a things you can do to save
the planet book.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
This is a story.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
It's a story. Oh yeah, I'm sorry.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
And it's like it touches on those things. But I
hope it's not preachy. No, you know, it's like trying
to work it out.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Yeah, no, it wasn't preachy at all.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
No, no, no, not at all.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
And I'm sorry if I didn't explain that better from
the beginning. But no, it's not preachy. It's not like
a how to guide.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
It's a story.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Yeah, it's a story, right.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
I mean a lot of times when i'm writing, so
it's just the other day I'm working on Southern novel,
and it's like, oh, my agenda is showing, and I
got to just throw away the whole like everything I
worked on for the last three days. Oh, because I
don't want to do.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
That, right, Oh, but why you shouldn't throw it out?
In fact, I was going to ask you, what's next?
Can you tell any little bit about it?
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Or you don't have to.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Tell you a lot of it?
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (17:03):
So they're actually I'm working on a couple of things simultaneously,
but one I'm most excited about, and I'm going to
get in a lot of trouble for this. Uh.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Oh, are you sure you want to tell me?
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I don't know, all right.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Okay, so let me just preface it.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
I think pretty much everything I do is societal commentary,
and I hope it's funny. I think it's intended to
be funny. I'll tell you about the manuscript I just finished,
rather than what I'm working on now, which is kind
of a It's a societal commentary and it goes into
some of the same stuff that consumption of waste, but
also our culture's obsession with different forms of morality. It's
(17:37):
about a retired assassin. Oh, we still holds a candle
for his wife who recently departed and is suddenly captured
and sent to a secret prison. Wow, and has to
break out and protect his fourteen year old son. And
it is fun as crap.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Wow. It also sounds like it would be a really
good movie.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
I sure hope. So yeah, to make it a movie.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Yeah, I would like to see that as a movie.
And I don't know anything about it except what you
just told me.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
You sold me yay, I did it. You did it.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Yay.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
That's pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
So that one is done, correct, it's done.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
It hasn't found a home yet, okay. I haven't actually
started sending it out.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Yet, Okay, but I think that will probably find a
home very quickly.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
No, I think so.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I like it a lot, Okay, so I'm going to
be looking for that. And then the other thing you're
working on, which I don't want you to get into trouble,
so you don't have to tell me, but you know,
we'll talk again because I like talking to you, and
then you can you can tell me about it. Yeah, yeah,
that would be great. Okay, So before you go, I
do have one question, because what I was reading about
you on the press release, you have to tell me
(18:44):
why your dog does it like Santa Claus.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
I don't know. It's the weirdest thing. Okay, So my
daughter was seven, she said she wanted a dog. We
got this dog, Milo, and we wanted to take him
to get his picture taken with Santa Claus.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
He's freaked out, freaked out in my way, like barking, panicking.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
He didn't want to get in Santa's lap, growled and stuff.
And I'm not going to say whether I believe that
there's a Santa Claus or not, because some of your
listeners might.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Yeah, they might believe in Santa Claus. That's true, you know.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Different from yes, I will say if this was the
real Santa Claus, then there's a problem. If it was
a guy pretending to be Santa Claus.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Okay, maybe right, right, right, But if there's a yeah,
but if there's a real Santa Claus, like no one's
getting gifts this year now visiting he's like holding up
in the North Pole. Yeah I get it, Yeah, I
get it. That's really funny. And you never tried it again.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
No, okay, cause you were afraid traumatized. Yeah, for sure,
I'm Santa Claus was trumpatized too. I'm sure, I'm.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Sure, but you know, because i'm I'm probably Santa Claus
was less traumatized by the dog because Santa Claus sometimes
gets screaming children on his lap.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Well, and you got to figure the guy's breaking into
people's houses.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Well, that's exactly right, exactly right, And you know that
could be why the dog freaked out because dogs have
that spidey sense that we don't have. So maybe, you know,
maybe Milo sense like, hey, this dude's gonna break into
my house, so I'm going to bark at him now,
so my parents know that I'll bark at him when
he breaks in. I'm just thinking, I'm just I think
(20:18):
you're right.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
I choose between Milo and Santa.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
I picked Milo any day.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Yeah, of course, because Milo's a dog and we love dogs. Yes,
I get that. Well, Brian, you are so much fun.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yes? Can I just say yes, I love that you're
doing podcasts. My wife works in animal welfare and it's
something really really close to us.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Oh, so I should really plan on talking to her.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
You should.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Okay, not only that?
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Okay, can I just say one year?
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Yes? Weird coincidental? So you did back in December an
episode with Michelle Hollow mm hmmm, yes about Mary Annie.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yes, I know Michelle for many, many, many many years.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Yes, well, my wife is obsessed with Mary Anna.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Oh really, Oh my goodness, oh wow, So I should
really connect your wife with Michelle.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Well, I think you should have my wife on the
show because she does work for the Humane Society.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Is the vice president of communication.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Okay, Well that's a given. Okay, well that's a given. Okay,
So all right, we're going to do this. I'm going
to tell my listeners who would like to get a
copy of the Sultan of Garbage and digital, so not
to be wasteful like me because I wanted a book,
and they can go to bellefont dot com b E
L E F A n T dot com.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Is that the best place for them to get the book?
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Yeah, you can.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Actually, we have a website for the book Sultan of
Garbage dot com.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
One word, oh, okay, of garbage even better.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
And that'll that'll guide you and there if you want
hard copies of the book, there's a list of independent
books towards that carry the book there too as well. Okay,
you don't have to feel like, oh, Barnes and whatever.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Right exactly. Yes, that's perfect. Well, Ryan Bellefont, thank you
so much for your time. I know we're going to
talk again because I really like talking to you.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Thanks, I can't wait.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
I can't wait.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
And uh, we're gonna continue talking because I want to
get your wife's info.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
So thank you.
Speaker 4 (22:09):
All right, Thanks Marie
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Rader operator, and see your Rader momigator
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