I just read something somewhere (I read all the time, can’t keep track what comes from where) about whether you should tip your garbage man and if so, how. I have done this for a few years now, in the humble form of a Christmas card and a modestly loaded Tim card (the guys love their Timmy’s). Here I thought I was doing something radical, extending the Christmas spirit beyond friends and family.
But according to what I read, some people leave lottery tickets, money or even a 6-pack of beer. And come to think of it, this was reflected last year when I spent a day on a garbage truck (for a feature story for the school paper). It was two days before Christmas, and Manny, the driver, was getting showered with gifts from people. It was great to see (of course, there were also the people who were less than kind and did not even bother with a “Hello,” “How are you?” or “Have a nice day” – never mind the driver who flipped the bird at the big truck).
Of course, there is the flipside of the argument: Waterloo Region residents pay roughly $100 in property taxes every year for garbage collection, so why spend more on a tip? So what if it’s the holidays? It’s a legit point, but I would argue it’s also another way to say, “I’m cheap.”
Tip or don’t tip – I don’t care what you decide to do. Just know that it’s an option, and that it goes for other public servants as well.
wasteandwant 