In this episode of Trash Talk with Trista, Trista talks with Rebecca Sansone, owner of The Mustache Cat, a Saint Paul-based home goods shop specializing in curated vintage pieces and funky upcycled decor. They discuss how choosing secondhand and well-made items can reduce demand for new products while creating opportunities for creativity, community and a more sustainable approach to what we bring into our homes.

In 2026, The Mustache Cat received a BizRecycling grant to expand its operations and invest in supplies that support material reuse, increase community participation and divert more materials from the trash.

Hosted by Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy’s Executive Director, Trista Martinson, Trash Talk with Trista is a podcast dedicated to waste management – from the tipping floor to the future of responsible waste policy. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts.

Learn more about The Mustache Cat.

• Website: https://www.themustachecat.com/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMustacheCat

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themustachecat.home/

Learn more about BizRecycling.

• Website: https://bizrecycling.com/

• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bizrecyclingmn

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizrecyclingmn/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bizrecyclingmn

Learn more about Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy.

• Website: https://recyclingandenergy.org/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecyclingAndEnergy

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recyclingandenergy/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/recyclingandenergy/

For more than 20 years, Chowgirls Catering has been proving that sustainability and business success can go hand in hand. From piloting food scrap recycling to swapping to recyclable to-go containers, co-founders Heidi Andermack and Amy Brown have incorporated environmental responsibility into their business model. In this episode of Trash Talk with Trista, Heidi shares the values that shaped Chowgirls Catering and how their commitment to sustainability and community helped build a resilient, thriving business.

Hosted by Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy’s Executive Director, Trista Martinson, Trash Talk with Trista is a podcast dedicated to waste management – from the tipping floor to the future of responsible waste policy.

Streaming available anywhere you find podcasts.

Learn more about Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy.

• Website: https://recyclingandenergy.org/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecyclingAndEnergy

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recyclingandenergy/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/recyclingandenergy/

Learn more about the Food Scraps Pickup Program.

• Website: https://foodscrapspickup.com/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foodscrapspickup/

Learn more about BizRecycling.

• Website: https://bizrecycling.com/
• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bizrecyclingmn
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizrecyclingmn/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bizrecyclingmn

Learn more about Chowgirls Catering.

• Website: https://www.chowgirls.net/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chowgirls

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chowgirlscatering/

Episode description (condensed, static socials graphic)

On this episode of Trash Talk with Trista, Trista sits down with Heidi Andermack, co-founder of Chowgirls Catering, to discuss the ethos behind her business, exploring their commitment to local sourcing, sustainable practices and meaningful community connections. Listen anywhere you get podcasts.

You're sure to crack a smile or let out a laugh in this week’s Trash Talk with Trista episode featuring Sheletta Brundidge, founder of ShelettaMakesMeLaugh. Trista and Sheletta chat about the power of humor and storytelling. These tools, especially when paired together, can make even the most complex topics, like waste and recycling, easier to understand.

Hosted by Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy’s Executive Director, Trista Martinson, Trash Talk with Trista is a podcast dedicated to waste management – from the tipping floor to the future of responsible waste policy. Available anywhere you find podcasts.

Learn more about Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy.

• Website: recyclingandenergy.org

• Facebook: @RecyclingAndEnergy

• Instagram: @recyclingandenergy

• LinkedIn: @recyclingandenergy

Check out Sheletta’s work at ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com.

On this episode of Trash Talk with Trista, Trista sits down with Sigurd Scheurle, a retired planning director at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, to talk about the history of waste management in Minnesota and what we’ve learned along the way.

From the Waste Management Act and the environmental impacts of landfilling to the role of waste-to-energy, Sigurd shares how Minnesota’s past can help shape a better approach to managing waste in the future. Find out on this episode of Trash Talk with Trista, hosted by Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy’s Executive Director, Trista Martinson.

This podcast is dedicated to waste management – from the tipping floor to the future of responsible waste policy. Available anywhere you find podcasts.

More information:

• Learn more about waste-to-energy: https://recyclingandenergy.org/about-waste-to-energy/

• Sigurd’s Op-Ed in the Minnesota Star Tribune: HERC garbage burner is a gnat to pollution’s tiger

• Website: https://recyclingandenergy.org/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecyclingAndEnergy

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recyclingandenergy/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/recyclingandenergy/

Once you finish your dill pickle lemonade, where do you put your cup? On this episode of Trash Talk with Trista, Trista sits down with Cory Franzmeier from the Minnesota State Fair and Megan Dobratz from Native Sustainability to discuss the management of trash, recycling and organics at the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

Hosted by Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy’s Executive Director, Trista Martinson, Trash Talk with Trista is a podcast dedicated to waste management – from the tipping floor to the future of responsible waste policy. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts.

Learn more about Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy.

• Website: https://recyclingandenergy.org/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecyclingAndEnergy

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recyclingandenergy/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/recyclingandenergy/

Andy Weins rejects the idea of "junk" - that the things we throw away have no value. His company used to be called Camo Crew Junk Removal, until he realized how much of what they hauled was valuable material that could be used again. He rebranded it as Camo Crew Responsible Removal. In 2025, they recovered 82% of materials that many companies would send straight to a landfill.

In this episode of Trash Talk with Trista, Trista sits down with Andy to talk about his path to becoming a waste industry leader, business owner and advocate for rebranding waste as a resource.

Hosted by Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy’s Executive Director, Trista Martinson, Trash Talk with Trista is a podcast dedicated to waste management – from the tipping floor to the future of responsible waste policy. Available anywhere you find podcasts.

Learn more about Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy.

• Website: https://recyclingandenergy.org/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecyclingAndEnergy

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recyclingandenergy/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/recyclingandenergy/

Did you know that Germany is considered one of the world’s leaders in waste reduction and recycling? On this episode of Trash Talk with Trista, Trista sits down with R&E’s German interns, Sophia Fiswick and Lasse Radke, to discuss how Germany approaches waste management, the cultural differences surrounding recycling and what the U.S. can learn from waste systems around the world.

Hosted by Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy’s Executive Director, Trista Martinson, Trash Talk with Trista is a podcast dedicated to waste management – from the tipping floor to the future of responsible waste policy. Available anywhere you find podcasts.

Learn more about Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy.

• Website: https://recyclingandenergy.org/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecyclingAndEnergy

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recyclingandenergy/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/recyclingandenergy/

What if the future of waste management isn’t just about recycling more, it’s about rethinking everything we throw away? On this episode of Trash Talk with Trista, Trista sits down with Jennefer Klennert of HDR to explore the trends shaping the future of the waste industry, from smarter technology and safer facilities to reuse, waste-to-energy and the policies driving innovation. Together, they discuss why modern waste infrastructure matters, how communities can reduce what ends up in landfills and what it takes to build a more sustainable materials management system for the future.

Hosted by Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy’s Executive Director, Trista Martinson, Trash Talk with Trista is a podcast dedicated to waste management – from the tipping floor to the future of responsible waste policy. Available anywhere you find podcasts.

Learn more about Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy.

• Website: https://recyclingandenergy.org/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecyclingAndEnergy

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recyclingandenergy/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/recyclingandenergy/

Learn more about waste-to-energy: https://recyclingandenergy.org/about-waste-to-energy/