My apartment complex started a valet waste service this week and if you don’t know what that is, don’t worry, neither did I. It was explained in the brochure displayed above which features a woman who looks happier to take out the trash than anyone should be. Valet waste service means that instead of carrying your garbage to the dumpster you can set it outside your door between 6pm-8pm in a special black trash can they provide. A magical elf collects the trash after 8pm and you’re responsible for bringing the empty trash can inside by 9am the next morning or else you get fined $25.
My first reaction to this was, “Seriously? We’re now encouraging people to be too lazy to take out their own garbage?” Sure, Sarah Sylvia Cynthia Stout would have loved this service, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. It’s a good idea for elderly or disabled people who have limited mobility, but I am an able-bodied, middle-aged, woman and the walk to the dumpster isn’t that far.
When I came home on Monday I saw that my neighbor across the hall had put out her special valet waste trash can, so I figured what the heck, let me try this to see if it actually works. So I set out the garbage can and several hours later when I opened the door the trash inside was gone. Magic! And as guilty as I feel about it, it was really convenient. On cold nights I could see myself using this. There are also times when I leave a tied-up bag of trash in the kitchen overnight because I don’t like going to the dumpster after dark, so this service would help me get rid of that quicker.
I feel torn. It’s definitely convenient, but I feel like a total layabout for not taking my garbage out to the dumpster. It’s like they’re enabling me to be lazier than I already am. It definitely goes against the “what you can, when you can” philosophy that my blogger friends Roni and Carla talk about. This is more like what you can’t when you can. I’ll probably end up striking a balance by taking out the garbage when the weather is ok and the sun is out, but using the valet service when it’s nasty out or after dark.
Has anyone else heard of valet waste service or use it? What do you think?
