In an animation, Andy, a garbologist with brown hair and a beard, drives a small truck through a garbage dump. The truck's roof has a propeller and a solar panel. A wide broom is on the truck's underside. On the side are a tool panel, a vacuum hose, a garbage bin, recycling bins for food and electronic waste, and a blue bin for paper, cans, and bottles.

[Upbeat music plays, tires screeching]

Andy says, YOU WANNA KNOW A SECRET? SOME OF THE BEST STORIES CAN BE FOUND IN YOUR STINKY, SLIMY, ROTTEN TRASH. DON'T BELIEVE ME? CHECK THIS OUT!

The truck takes off. Smiling garbage gathers.

Title: Garbology.

In a shopping mall, Andy stops his truck beside a cell phone kiosk. A sign reads, “Fifty percent off.”

[Whirring, tires screeching, footsteps pattering]

Andy says, TODAY, LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO SOMETHING THAT NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION BUT UNTIL VERY RECENTLY DIDN'T EVEN EXIST.

A cell phone wearing sunglasses jumps onto the kiosk counter.

[Boinging]

The cell phone says, YO, CELL PHONE IN THE HOUSE! HEY THERE. SO, WHAT DO YOU NEED?

The cell phone takes a photograph of Andy.

[Camera shutter snapping]

The cell phone says, A SELFIE? PICTURE OF A CUTE CAT?

In a video, a cat sitting in a box wears a hat and winks.

[Meowing]

The cell phone says, WANT ME TO INFLUENCE SOMEONE?

The heart, thumbs up, people, and chat icons appear on the cell phone's screen. A person dances.

[Popping, upbeat music plays]

The cell phone says, MAYBE A NEW DANCE MOVE?

Andy says, NO, THANKS. YOU ARE A REALLY USEFUL DEVICE.

The cell phone spins and lands on the counter.

[Whooshing, tapping]

The cell phone says, NO DOUBT.

Andy says, BUT ALSO EXTREMELY DAMAGING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

The cell phone says, HOLD ON NOW. I'M SMALL AND HARDLY USE ANY ENERGY TO RUN.

Andy says, THAT'S TRUE, BUT IT TAKES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY TO MAKE YOU. YOU CONTAIN PRECIOUS METALS LIKE GOLD, COPPER, SILVER, PLATINUM, AND PALLADIUM.

As Andy lists the materials, bars, cylinders, coins, and rings appear around the cell phone.

[Cash register dinging]

The cell phone says, THAT'S RIGHT, I'M FULL OF BLING.

The cell phone smiles and reveals a gold tooth.

[Dinging]

Andy says, WELL, WHILE IT'S ACTUALLY ONLY A TINY AMOUNT, IT COSTS A LOT TO MINE OUT OF THE GROUND. YOU'RE ALSO FULL OF RARE EARTHS.

The cell phone says, I'M RARE, BABY.

Andy says, THINGS LIKE YTTRIUM, LANTHANUM, TERBIUM, NEODYMIUM, GADOLINIUM, AND PRASEODYMIUM.

Small piles of rocks and pebbles appear by the precious metals.

[Whooshing, popping]

The cell phone says, SAY WHAT NOW? SOUNDS LIKE A BUNCH OF DISEASES. AM I SICK?!

Red spots appear on the cell phone’s screen.

[Popping]

Andy says, NOT AT ALL. THOSE ALSO TAKE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY TO MINE. AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE BATTERY.

The cell phone says, I SUDDENLY FEEL VERY DRAINED.

Andy says, PEOPLE GET NEW PHONES ALL THE TIME AND DON'T PROPERLY RECYCLE THE OLD ONES. MANY PEOPLE JUST THROW THEM IN THE DRAWER, OR WORSE, THROW THEM IN THE GARBAGE.

Someone puts a cell phone in a drawer. Someone else tosses a cell phone into a dumpster.

[Drawer scraping, clicking, slide whistle, rustling]

Andy says, IT'S A WASTE OF PRECIOUS MATERIALS, SOME OF WHICH CAN BE HIGHLY TOXIC.

The cell phone says, FOR REALS?

Andy says, FOR TOTAL REALS.

The cell phone says, THANKS FOR THE INFO, OLD TIMER. YOU DA BOSS.

The cell phone throws the sunglasses onto Andy’s face.

[Whooshing]

Andy says, I AM DA BOSS.

The cell phone says, AND I AM AN EPIC FAIL.

Andy says, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT, BUT PEOPLE SHOULD USE THEIR DEVICES AS LONG AS THEY CAN BEFORE GETTING A NEW ONE, AND MAKE SURE THE OLD ONES ARE RECYCLED PROPERLY.

The cell phone says, LATERS!

The cell phone jumps onto Andy’s hand.

[Upbeat music plays]

Andy says, AS THIS OLD TIMER ALWAYS TELLS YA: REDUCE, REUSE, AND RECYCLE.

The cell phone jumps into the electronic waste bin.

[Thumping]

Andy says, SMELL YA LATER.

Andy backs the truck away from the kiosk.

[Engine whirring, upbeat music continues]

End credits. Executive Producers: Jonas Diamond, Andrew Nisker. Produced and Voice Directed by Jeremy Diamond. Director: Luke Coleman. Animation Director: Darien Ardell. Produced in Association with T.V.O. Kids. Kirsten Hurd, Executive Producer, T.V.O. Kids. Logos: T.V.O. Kids, Take Action Films, Smiley Guy Studios. Copyright 2024 Garbage Man Productions Incorporated, Smiley Guy Seen Incorporated.