WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.399 --> 00:00:03.120 It's Maria as MutS and Stuff. 2 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:04.679 What a great idea. 3 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:06.519 On iHeartRadio. 4 00:00:10.599 --> 00:00:13.279 Welcome to Maria's MutS and Stuff. And with me today 5 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:18.120 is author Brian Bellafont with his latest book, The Sultan 6 00:00:18.359 --> 00:00:22.320 of Garbage. So hi, Brian, h MA, thanks for having me. 7 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:25.480 Absolutely so okay, I have to give it full disclosure 8 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:28.000 as soon as we start, because I'm kind of old 9 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:30.760 school and I love books and the feel of books. 10 00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:35.240 And I know I was sent like a digital copy 11 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:37.079 of your book, and I asked you to send me a. 12 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:37.799 Book, which you did. 13 00:00:38.079 --> 00:00:40.759 And then it's just really funny because on the back 14 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:43.840 of your book the last line is, you know, I 15 00:00:43.880 --> 00:00:46.600 know the irony isn't lost. How many trees were destroyed 16 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:48.600 in order to print this book? Maybe you should buy 17 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:49.560 the digital version. 18 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:50.560 So I'm sorry. 19 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:54.719 I don't apologize to me. You know what, here's my thing. 20 00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:58.320 You know, I'm not an evangelist as much as I 21 00:00:58.359 --> 00:00:59.359 am a guy who just goes. 22 00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:02.840 Let's think about this, right, you know, yes, I like stuff. 23 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:05.000 Everybody likes stuff, but we live in a world where 24 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:07.640 we consume a lot and we waste a lot. 25 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:10.560 Absolutely, No, you're right, yeah, you know, it's almost like 26 00:01:10.599 --> 00:01:12.359 it goes all the way back to like the George 27 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:16.920 Carland bit about you have a house for your stuff, right, Yeah, 28 00:01:16.920 --> 00:01:18.560 and it's true because. 29 00:01:18.359 --> 00:01:20.159 I mean, and I think, and this is terrible to 30 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:20.640 think about. 31 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:23.480 But it also goes with what your book at this 32 00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:28.200 topic is is if I died tomorrow, they're just going 33 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:29.920 to throw out all my stuff. 34 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:31.680 Not about you know what I mean. So like, why 35 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:33.239 am I saving things? 36 00:01:33.959 --> 00:01:36.239 You know, that's a that's a personal thing for me 37 00:01:36.280 --> 00:01:37.920 because my mom passed away last year and I'm doing 38 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:41.319 I'm sorry. Yes, yes, you know it meant a lot 39 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:44.560 to her, some of these things, and it's really kind 40 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:48.319 of amazing the stuff that means something to me that 41 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:51.280 you know, she had that didn't have that special meaning 42 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:53.840 for her. Right, But it's a connection you make. 43 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:56.840 Yes, So yeah, yeah, no, I get it. 44 00:01:56.840 --> 00:01:58.959 I tell my kids just like set fire to the 45 00:01:59.000 --> 00:02:00.599 garage because that's it. 46 00:02:01.560 --> 00:02:03.879 Yeah, No, I get it, that's what That's what I 47 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:05.879 tell them, just you know, throw stuff out. Just what 48 00:02:05.959 --> 00:02:08.599 if it happens, Just throw everything out because I have stuff. 49 00:02:08.919 --> 00:02:11.439 But okay, so we're both on the same page with that. 50 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:12.719 But let's talk about this book. 51 00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:16.479 So this is why you wrote The Sultan of garbage, right, 52 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:19.719 to get people's eyes open to the fact that we 53 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:22.840 don't need all the stuff we have. Garbage is there's 54 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:24.639 too much garbage on the earth. 55 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:26.719 Right, this is the reason why you wrote it. 56 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:28.960 Well, i'd like to I mean sort of, that's that's 57 00:02:29.000 --> 00:02:31.080 that's the way it comes across. But the reason I 58 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:32.800 wrote the book is because I used to work in 59 00:02:32.919 --> 00:02:36.120 advertising and marketing. I was the guy who was helping 60 00:02:36.199 --> 00:02:39.560 to create the world where we consume too much crap, right, 61 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:41.360 And this is sort of book sort of came out 62 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:42.319 as a form of penance. 63 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:42.560 Really. 64 00:02:42.599 --> 00:02:45.319 I mean it's about a guy much like myself, but 65 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:48.240 this guy's a product photographer and he's helping to contribute 66 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:50.520 to this world, and he's living in his own world 67 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:53.560 of too much consumption and waste and not being valued 68 00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:55.879 and stuff. And it's just a way to work that 69 00:02:56.039 --> 00:02:58.719 out what we really value, what do we really need? 70 00:02:59.000 --> 00:02:59.199 Right? 71 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:03.319 So did I mean your are you Alex a little 72 00:03:03.319 --> 00:03:10.319 bit the main character? Or because does he live oh okay, okay, okay, 73 00:03:10.439 --> 00:03:13.159 Because I was saying, do you live vicariously through him? 74 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:15.840 Or I think he lives through you? 75 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:16.159 Right? 76 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:17.560 I think me. 77 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:19.240 I mean a lot of the experiences that I put 78 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:21.840 in the book are taken from my own life experiences. 79 00:03:21.879 --> 00:03:24.400 I am a photographer. I did study with a photographer 80 00:03:24.439 --> 00:03:28.319 and photography teacher in Italy. A lot of the lessons 81 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:32.759 that the photography teacher imparts to Alex are lessons that 82 00:03:32.840 --> 00:03:35.080 my teachers imparted to me, and that I came up 83 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:38.319 with my on my own. The experiences you've had or 84 00:03:39.240 --> 00:03:43.840 very are drawn from my experiences, they're not directly. So yeah, 85 00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:46.960 it is a way to sort of exercise a lot 86 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:47.560 of those demons. 87 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:49.199 I guess, Okay, that's fair. 88 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:52.199 Yeah, I mean that's fair because yeah, I get that. 89 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:56.439 And also I feel like with Alex there's always there's 90 00:03:56.479 --> 00:03:59.439 like a lesson which is like a to me, it 91 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:02.159 was like a subtle hint about the fact that we 92 00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:04.439 have too much stuff, you know, when like when he 93 00:04:04.520 --> 00:04:07.560 find he finds the espresso maker and he brings it 94 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:10.360 home and Grace right, and she's like, oh, I wanted 95 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:12.439 a new one, but he was like, well, this one's fine, 96 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:15.120 and you know, the whole thing like we need to recycle. 97 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:20.439 So I just liked all the little subtleties of getting 98 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:21.759 the message across. 99 00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:22.439 Thank you. 100 00:04:22.600 --> 00:04:24.639 Yeah, I don't want to be strivent. I mean this 101 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:26.720 guy is trying to work it out. I mean he 102 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:29.639 likes stuff, but he also goes, hey, this old espresso 103 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:30.480 machine has value? 104 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:31.720 What's wrong with it? 105 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:32.120 Right? 106 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:36.040 Yeah, which is also, in an interesting way, kind of 107 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:40.240 how society looks at people sometimes. You know, I feel 108 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:42.399 like in our country, no, but seriously, I feel like 109 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:46.439 we don't value senior citizens like we should with all 110 00:04:46.439 --> 00:04:49.360 their knowledge. And you know, and it's not even senior citizens. 111 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:52.120 It's like almost if you're over thirty, you know, you 112 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:54.439 don't know anything, like wait what you know? 113 00:04:55.439 --> 00:04:57.519 Well? Yeah, And not to get too political, but when 114 00:04:57.600 --> 00:04:59.920 Rfu was going on about autistic people and how it's like, 115 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:01.920 these are people who will never go on a date, 116 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:04.680 and I'm like, you know what, my son's autistic and 117 00:05:04.759 --> 00:05:07.519 he may never go on a date. But that is 118 00:05:07.560 --> 00:05:11.720 not the reason to exclude somebody from a society. 119 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:15.720 Cor kid is my kid is amazing because he's my kid, Right, 120 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:20.160 But do you contribute value? Yeah, that's not. 121 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:25.040 Right, right, Right, everybody's here for a reason. Their value 122 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:29.360 is everybody has value, And yes, I agree, I agree, And. 123 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:30.720 You know what, that's not political at all. 124 00:05:30.839 --> 00:05:33.079 I think it's just having a soul and a heart 125 00:05:33.519 --> 00:05:36.879 and empathy and compassion. It's not political, and I think 126 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:41.519 many times things that come out that people make it 127 00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:44.120 political when it's really just common sense and having a 128 00:05:44.120 --> 00:05:48.199 little bit of compassion. You know, absolutely, you know, and 129 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:50.240 I'm sure we both grew up with the same type 130 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:53.079 of parents that told us and many of my listeners 131 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:56.920 the same kind of like put yourself in someone else's shoes. 132 00:05:57.480 --> 00:05:59.639 I heard that my whole life from my parents. 133 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:01.279 You had better parents than I did. 134 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:04.240 Oh that's not true. 135 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:08.560 I've heard you were you know, I was a lat 136 00:06:08.680 --> 00:06:10.519 kid kid, and then there was a whole lot of 137 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:12.360 well figure it out right kind of what I. 138 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:15.360 Got, right, Okay, Well, that's okay, it's all right, it's 139 00:06:15.399 --> 00:06:16.759 nothing to be ashamed of. It's fine. 140 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:17.920 Yeah, it worked for. 141 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:21.199 Me, It works exactly exactly. So I feel like I'm 142 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:23.000 going to talk to you for like hours now, and 143 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:25.560 we're not going to talk about your book, So let's 144 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:29.560 talk about more of I don't think that people realize. 145 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:32.319 I just know from over the years of interviewing people 146 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:35.240 about plastics in the ocean, and I just remember this 147 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:41.199 from maybe five years ago, that the percentage was very small, 148 00:06:41.240 --> 00:06:43.839 and you know, saying like and then I read like 149 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:47.439 in the press release that back in twenty nineteen, only 150 00:06:47.639 --> 00:06:51.079 nine percent of plastic has been recycled. And you think, okay, well, 151 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:53.079 now to me twenty nineteen because I kind of forget 152 00:06:53.079 --> 00:06:56.920 about COVID, but it is a pre COVID post COVID, 153 00:06:57.079 --> 00:06:59.680 and twenty nineteen is now six years ago, which I 154 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:02.519 lost track of time. But how it says by the 155 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:04.839 time it's twenty forty, it's still going to be under 156 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:07.199 ten percent, Like, how can that be possible? 157 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:10.160 That could be possible because we're still creating more than 158 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:12.519 we can get rid of. Yeah, and we're also when 159 00:07:12.519 --> 00:07:14.720 you look at the plopping countries, people want to move 160 00:07:14.759 --> 00:07:17.879 into middle class, and middle class means owning things and 161 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:20.079 having the house to hold the things that they own, 162 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:22.720 and those things, a lot of them come in packages. 163 00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:25.000 And those packages, once you open them up their. 164 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:28.759 Waist, correct go to the supermarket and they and the 165 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:30.519 thing to do that they always say is to take 166 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:33.839 your own bags, like cloth bags to put vegetables and 167 00:07:33.879 --> 00:07:36.160 fruits in. I never see people do it, and I 168 00:07:36.199 --> 00:07:38.399 always and I have those bags, and I always forget 169 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:39.800 to do it. I'm mean, I have to be honest, 170 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:42.920 So right there, all of those plastic bags, you know, 171 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:45.279 even though they're thin plastic, and I'm sure they break 172 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:48.959 down at some point, but you know, we all. 173 00:07:48.759 --> 00:07:49.600 Do it also. 174 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:53.920 So it's and then you buy something and it's wrapped 175 00:07:53.959 --> 00:07:57.199 in such plastic that it's impossible to even open. That 176 00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:00.439 stuff doesn't break down, and yeah, ultimately end up in 177 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:00.920 the ocean. 178 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:04.399 So well yeah, yeah, when it ends up in the ocean, 179 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:05.920 it ends up in the animals in the ocean, and 180 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:07.720 the animals in the ocean up in your you know, 181 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:09.759 that's right, one way or the other, and then you 182 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:11.519 end up with plastic in your brain. 183 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:14.839 Exactly now for me, exactly, And I always feel like 184 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:17.399 that's a reason why I always think a lot of 185 00:08:17.399 --> 00:08:20.480 the illnesses we have, like cancer, why is it so 186 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:23.800 prevalent now than it was in our grandparents in great 187 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:24.639 grandparents' time. 188 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:27.160 Well, you know, I think plastics have a lot to 189 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:28.240 do with it, But that's just me. 190 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:29.040 I agree with you. 191 00:08:29.079 --> 00:08:30.720 But I also think, you know, stress has a lot 192 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:32.519 to do with it, and stress comes from living in 193 00:08:32.519 --> 00:08:36.399 a society where you know, yes, the emphasis is on consumption. Yeah, 194 00:08:36.440 --> 00:08:38.240 we got to do it, We got to keep up. 195 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:40.519 We have to keep up Yeah, No, you're right. 196 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:43.440 You're right. So what would be your first advice to 197 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:46.320 someone who wants to be proactive and try to make 198 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:50.279 the world a better place for themselves and the future generations. 199 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:52.120 I know it's a hard one. 200 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:57.679 Sorry, raise really thoughtful kids. That's huge, huge undertaking. And 201 00:08:57.879 --> 00:09:00.840 I do think it comes down to general rational shift. 202 00:09:00.840 --> 00:09:05.000 We gotta we got to move the ocean miner, and 203 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:09.279 those things move, the changes come slowly. I do think 204 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:13.879 that change. A lot of change that we see is positive. 205 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:16.159 It's just on the one hand, we want to move 206 00:09:16.200 --> 00:09:18.440 the ocean miner and change our society for the better. 207 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:21.799 On the other hand, it's oftentimes the little thing's going 208 00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:24.799 to make a huge difference. Right, And like we were 209 00:09:24.840 --> 00:09:27.519 talking about, like you were talking about the plastic bags. Yeah, 210 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:29.279 I go to the grocery store and I forget that 211 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:32.360 they're in the trunk of my car, right, And you 212 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:33.759 know by the time I get to the cash here, 213 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:36.720 it's like, ah, right. I live in a place where 214 00:09:36.759 --> 00:09:38.240 a lot of times cash will be like, well, run 215 00:09:38.279 --> 00:09:39.879 to the car, get the backs. But if there's a 216 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:41.200 line behind me, I don't want to do. 217 00:09:41.159 --> 00:09:42.559 That, correct, That's right. 218 00:09:42.759 --> 00:09:45.120 I just have to like the little thing is as 219 00:09:45.159 --> 00:09:47.080 I'm getting out of the car at the grocery store, 220 00:09:47.159 --> 00:09:48.840 remember that the bag is in the trunk. 221 00:09:48.679 --> 00:09:50.080 Right, not a big big right. 222 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:50.639 That's true. 223 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:52.360 Right, And that's true, And that's an easy thing and 224 00:09:52.360 --> 00:09:55.679 that's actually an easy assignment for anybody to do. 225 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:57.279 Yeah. Did that answer your question? 226 00:09:57.279 --> 00:09:57.879 I don't know if it did. 227 00:09:57.960 --> 00:09:58.120 Yeah. 228 00:09:58.120 --> 00:09:58.600 I think it did. 229 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:01.159 Yeah, yeah, yeah, because I yes, it did, it did, 230 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:03.159 because I just feel like there were so many different 231 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:05.039 things that we can tell people that they need to do, 232 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:08.960 even and you defined it on a really on a 233 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:11.879 smaller scale, and that is a very small scale and 234 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:14.639 something very easy to remember to do. But that makes 235 00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:17.039 a big difference if everybody does it. I mean we're 236 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:20.879 talking about millions and billions of people, so strength in numbers, 237 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:22.600 you know, if we all remember to take it out 238 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:26.399 of the trunk, or if you live in an urban area, 239 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:29.679 to bring it out of your apartment before you go shopping, 240 00:10:29.799 --> 00:10:31.639 you know, or as you know, carry. 241 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:33.159 It with you. Yeah, And can I just make it 242 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:36.159 like two points here. One is people notice, or maybe 243 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:38.279 the people who listen to your show notice, And I 244 00:10:38.279 --> 00:10:40.519 didn't say out of the saddle bags of my bike. 245 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:44.039 You know that Yeah, Okay, I ride my bike to 246 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:46.240 the grocery store when I'm picking up a couple of things, right, 247 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:48.519 But I also take my car when I know I'm 248 00:10:48.519 --> 00:10:50.519 going to get two grocery bags full of stuff, and 249 00:10:50.519 --> 00:10:52.080 there's no way I'm going to be a pedal home 250 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:55.120 with all that crap, right. And I think the important 251 00:10:55.159 --> 00:10:57.080 part of that goes to the second thing I was 252 00:10:57.080 --> 00:10:58.799 going to say. It's sort of like the diet thing. 253 00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:02.159 You know, people take these millets and approaches to diet 254 00:11:02.279 --> 00:11:04.399 where it's like I am not going to eat an 255 00:11:04.440 --> 00:11:07.919 ounce of fat and you are destined to fail. 256 00:11:08.200 --> 00:11:08.639 Correct. 257 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:12.080 Forgive yourself if you forgot the bags or you left 258 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:13.080 them in the trunk. 259 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:13.360 Let it go. 260 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:17.559 Yeah, try and remember next time it's about a lifestyle change, 261 00:11:17.799 --> 00:11:19.240 not about all or nothing. 262 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:19.759 Yeah. 263 00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:22.799 And you know what, And I think that pertains to everything, 264 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:28.120 like you just said, your diet, your lifestyle, recycling, you know, 265 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:33.320 helping out the environment, everything. You're absolutely right, You're right. 266 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:36.039 And I think I don't know if it's our society, 267 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:38.399 I'm not sure, but it's that. 268 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:40.559 You know, succeed succeed, succeed. 269 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:43.480 You can't fail, and then you kind of we kind 270 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:46.200 of beat ourselves up if we forget the bag and 271 00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:48.720 the you know at home, or you forgot to put 272 00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:50.440 it in your in your saddle, you know. 273 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:51.240 Yeah. 274 00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:54.240 Yeah, And it's like kind of like, lighten up, give 275 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:56.720 yourself a break. It's okay, you'll do it the next. 276 00:11:56.519 --> 00:11:57.240 Time, right. 277 00:11:57.480 --> 00:12:00.360 Yeah, that's a very good point. I like that, and 278 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:04.120 I think it's really no, it is. It's very valuable 279 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:07.279 to anyone who's listening who because everybody can relate to that. 280 00:12:07.639 --> 00:12:09.799 You know, I feel like everybody's under so much pressure 281 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:11.679 to always succeed, succeed. 282 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:12.919 But don't beat yourself up. 283 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:13.840 Yeah. 284 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:16.960 I think a good point too is and I see 285 00:12:17.080 --> 00:12:19.759 plenty of people walking around with water bottles, but not 286 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:22.320 the plastic bottles like that they can refill. 287 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:25.039 That's you know, like something like that. It is great 288 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:25.320 to do. 289 00:12:25.559 --> 00:12:27.000 And you know, I got to say, and I'm going 290 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:29.519 to say this because it worked for me, is when 291 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:33.879 you think about these microplastics that basically plastic does disintegrate 292 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:36.240 that comes into these you know, these little particles past 293 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:39.360 plastic end up going into the environment or whatever. But 294 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:43.200 if the plastic is disintegrating, you know what's disintegrating into. 295 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:43.720 The bottle as well. 296 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:48.320 I suddenly realized one day that I was drinking microplastics, 297 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:54.879 and I'm thinking, I want to limit my intake of microplastics. Yes, 298 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:58.759 so that's when I started going, Oh, I'm going to 299 00:12:58.759 --> 00:13:01.639 carry a water bottle of any kind. It's not going 300 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:03.320 to be the one I buy it, you know at 301 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:05.480 the grocery store or the seven eleven or whatever. Right, 302 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:08.320 it's gonna be a little metal bottle that And the 303 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:10.320 cool thing is, oh, I was just remember the brand. 304 00:13:10.679 --> 00:13:12.360 There's a brand of water. I was in the airport 305 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:14.639 the traveling the other day and they had this brand 306 00:13:14.679 --> 00:13:17.559 of water that came in a metal bottle. But it 307 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:19.639 was sturdy enough that I can reuse it. 308 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:20.200 Yeah. 309 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:23.120 Wow, great, I got my bottle at the airport because 310 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:24.559 I forgot what I'm supposed to travel with. 311 00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:26.200 And then now I. 312 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:28.559 Have a water bottle that I put in my satchel 313 00:13:28.600 --> 00:13:30.159 that I'm going to go out and do stuff. 314 00:13:30.440 --> 00:13:32.519 Yes, you know what. I know that bottle because I 315 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:35.120 have that, and I saved it. And I can't remember 316 00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:36.480 the name, but you're absolutely right. 317 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:39.000 And I got away Yeah, for the company the water 318 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:40.960 stor Yeah, watermelon flavor. 319 00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:42.080 Oh wow? 320 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:44.960 Oh really see mine was and I remember and it 321 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:46.919 was a it was a metal bottle, and it had 322 00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:49.120 had some it had blue on. 323 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:52.000 It, okay, yeah, and it was orange pinky. 324 00:13:51.799 --> 00:13:53.840 Oh okay, because mine was just like regular, it was 325 00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:56.440 just plain water. But the whole point was that, like 326 00:13:56.440 --> 00:13:58.480 you said, you could just keep reusing it because it 327 00:13:58.480 --> 00:13:59.919 was a metal bottle and the best thing. 328 00:13:59.799 --> 00:14:02.480 It can have water cold. This poor company, you know, 329 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:04.879 they're doing a great thing. And both of us can't 330 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:06.240 remember the name. I love it. 331 00:14:06.919 --> 00:14:09.879 I'm you right away. 332 00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:12.440 It's really funny. But for everyone who's listening, be on 333 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:15.240 the lookout for that. It's because it's great. I still 334 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:17.639 have mine and I save them, I mean from last year, 335 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:19.840 because I also know I'm not going to be you know, 336 00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:23.360 drinking plastics, because that's the thing too. I remember when 337 00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:25.720 that came out a couple of years ago about how 338 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:28.240 plastic does break down. So you know, I was in 339 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:31.080 the habit of keeping a water bottle, not the kind 340 00:14:31.080 --> 00:14:33.600 that you refill, but like a regular water bottle, you know, 341 00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:35.679 like I'm pulling spring or something in my car, and 342 00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:37.799 then would always refill it. And it's like, oh great, 343 00:14:37.960 --> 00:14:40.440 that's great. What have I been drinking? So throw that out? 344 00:14:40.919 --> 00:14:41.240 Yeah? 345 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:43.039 Yeah, Well, this is all very good. 346 00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:45.480 I mean I think you know, well, yeah, thank you 347 00:14:45.559 --> 00:14:48.879 for sharing your knowledge and in your book and just 348 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:52.279 with me now, because I think most people are good 349 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:56.159 and most people have good intentions, they just don't know 350 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:59.080 where to start. And I think, also tell me if 351 00:14:59.080 --> 00:15:02.000 you agree with this. Sometime times people think, well, I'm 352 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:04.039 just one person, so it doesn't matter. 353 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:06.039 And I agree with you one hundred percent. I think 354 00:15:06.919 --> 00:15:09.480 my wife and I you know, I'm not as diligent 355 00:15:09.480 --> 00:15:13.600 as she is with the recycling. I sometimes like some 356 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:17.759 stuff just me and I'm just like, can. 357 00:15:17.639 --> 00:15:19.960 I ask you? What? What skis you? 358 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:24.519 Oh? Okay, we just got back from a trip and 359 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:26.600 we have a little bread box with stuff in there. 360 00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:30.159 And there's moldy left over English muffins from before we 361 00:15:30.279 --> 00:15:30.639 left and. 362 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:36.600 Green was it like green and stuff? Oh that's kind 363 00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:38.320 of cool though. It's like a science project. 364 00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:40.200 Yeah, it's great to look at. I don't want to 365 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:40.600 go near it. 366 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:41.320 Okay, I get it. 367 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:41.919 I understand. 368 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:45.200 So that's okay, yeah, you know, and so superants out 369 00:15:45.240 --> 00:15:46.360 the bag and I'm just like. 370 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:46.759 Thank you. 371 00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:48.600 Oh yeah, you don't want to have any part of it. 372 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:51.399 I understand that. Yeah, yeah, because it had the moldy 373 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:56.600 English muffin. I got it. Yeah, but I think it's funny. 374 00:15:56.600 --> 00:15:59.960 But I understand, I understand. But I think if everybody 375 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:02.519 he does one thing, you know, it's the old thing 376 00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:04.919 that takes a village. Right, we can all chip in 377 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:07.320 somehow or other. And and I love the fact that 378 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:10.039 your book kind of tells the story but kind of 379 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:13.200 gives all these little oh and by the way, right. 380 00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:14.519 And can I just say, because I don't think it's 381 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:17.600 really been clear, is that this is not a manifesto. 382 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:19.600 This is not a things you can do to save 383 00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:20.360 the planet book. 384 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:21.120 This is a story. 385 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:22.519 It's a story. Oh yeah, I'm sorry. 386 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:23.799 Yeah. Yeah. 387 00:16:23.799 --> 00:16:26.120 And it's like it touches on those things. But I 388 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:29.200 hope it's not preachy. No, you know, it's like trying 389 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:29.799 to work it out. 390 00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:31.320 Yeah, no, it wasn't preachy at all. 391 00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:32.200 Yeah, thank you. 392 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:33.279 No, no, no, not at all. 393 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:36.559 And I'm sorry if I didn't explain that better from 394 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:39.240 the beginning. But no, it's not preachy. It's not like 395 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:40.320 a how to guide. 396 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:41.360 It's a story. 397 00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:42.879 Yeah, it's a story, right. 398 00:16:42.919 --> 00:16:44.639 I mean a lot of times when i'm writing, so 399 00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:46.720 it's just the other day I'm working on Southern novel, 400 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:49.440 and it's like, oh, my agenda is showing, and I 401 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:51.440