Dissecting the Southcoast's Obsession with Trash Pick-Up Schedule

There are two types people in this world: the ones who are FRANTIC about their trash pick-up, and the ones who just don't care or wait and see what their neighbors do.

If I've learned one thing in the last four Nor'Easters it's that people go bonkers over trash pick-up schedules, trash delays, recyclables not being picked up...Really anything to do with their trash and weather, people FREAK OUT.

I'm a homeowner - our trash gets picked up once a week, recyclables every other, and I can honestly say that during any storm prep this winter, there has not been ONE TIME that I've been concerned about trash pick-up or frantic if it was delayed. If I forget about the delay or don't know if it's a recyclable week or not, I look at my neighbor's trash situation and follow suit. If we put something out and it doesn't get picked up, I bring it back into the garage for next week...My world does not come crashing down because the trash didn't get picked up.

The trend I've seen lately is literally nothing short of obsession with trash - people asking in groups, calling the city or town, calling their private companies, posting more on social media about their trash woes, general panic about schedules...And I can honestly say I just don't get it.

I understand hauling stuff in and out is frustrating, so is putting your bins out to not have them picked up, or knocked over, or passed over. And I know in some places, there are fines for overstuffing trash, or putting it out on the wrong day, but I still find the general panic silly. I think if our biggest problem on any given week is our trash, we are pretty lucky.