Trash Talk with Trista

Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy

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. 

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    The Mustache Cat: Giving old things a new life with Rebecca Sansone

    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/

    The Mustache Cat: Giving old things a new life with Rebecca Sansone

  2. Oct 6

    How Chowgirls puts sustainability on the menu with Heidi Andermack

    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.

    How Chowgirls puts sustainability on the menu with Heidi Andermack

  3. Sep 22

    The power of humor, storytelling and authentic leadership with Sheletta Brundidge

    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.

    The power of humor, storytelling and authentic leadership with Sheletta Brundidge

  4. Sep 8

    Lessons learned from Minnesota’s waste history with Sigurd Scheurle

    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/

  5. Aug 25

    A Fair amount of trash with Cory Franzmeier and Megan Dobratz

    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/

    A Fair amount of trash with Cory Franzmeier and Megan Dobratz

  6. Aug 11

    Reframing what we throw away with Andy Weins

    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/

    Reframing what we throw away with Andy Weins

  7. Jul 28

    A global perspective on waste with R&E’s German interns, Sophia Fiswick and Lasse Radke

    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/

    A global perspective on waste with R&E’s German interns, Sophia Fiswick and Lasse Radke

  8. Jul 14

    What’s next for waste and recycling technology with HDR’s Jennefer Klennert

    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/

    What’s next for waste and recycling technology with HDR’s Jennefer Klennert

  9. Jun 30

    From the tipping floor to the legislative floor with Representative Wayne Johnson

    Did you know that a single waste-related bill at the Capitol can impact everything from worker safety to how communities manage trash for decades? On this episode of Trash Talk with Trista, Trista sits down with Minnesota State Representative Wayne Johnson to discuss the waste and recycling legislation introduced during the 2026 Minnesota legislative session, what it takes to move policy forward and why waste policy matters to every Minnesotan.   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/

    From the tipping floor to the legislative floor with Representative Wayne Johnson

  10. Jun 16

    How Ramsey and Washington counties manage waste differently with Commissioner Karla Bigham

    Did you know that Ramsey and Washington counties manage trash differently than most counties in Minnesota? On the very first episode of Trash Talk with Trista, Trista sits down with Karla Bigham, Washington County Commissioner and R&E Board member, to discuss how Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy was formed, what the organization has accomplished over the past 10 years and how the two counties work together to responsibly manage waste. From recycling and food scraps programs to energy recovery and long-term planning, the conversation explores how local decisions shape the future of trash and sustainability in our region.   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 the Food Scraps Pickup Program.   Website: https://foodscrapspickup.com/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foodscrapspickup/

    How Ramsey and Washington counties manage waste differently with Commissioner Karla Bigham
  • 10 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

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. 

Information

  • Creator
    Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Trash Talk with Trista

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