I'm not actually certain where they get their cups, plates, utensils and such, but I believe that all of the food vendors for the event have a common source because the designs are consistent throughout. It works for an event of this scale because the vendors at the event are almost all non-profit or club groups, i.e. the Boy Scouts, the Lions Club, the Turkish Students Society, etc... One thing I've found out, with being a custodian, is that people are too lazy to read and too busy to follow instructions. I put a big, bright yellow sign right in front of the bathroom door that says Restroom Closed, and people still just barge in, tripping over the sign as they enter, and go "Oh, umm, can I use the bathroom?" Until the crowd is "trained" to sort their garbage and proud enough of doing it to correct others, the wardens would be needed. As to why you, because you chose to do it, at first anyway, and it is work, it's a lot of work, as you have pointed out. People are going to cons to have fun, meet people, play games, and just get away from it all. Even the mad lab rabbits that help demo the games are getting a chance to play games. The people who are there from the game companies are there to sell their games, if they don't, their companies can go under. I think, to start with anyway, the first group of people to get involved in a project like this, are the con organizers. Also, get the convention center involved. Do not try and focus on every event, at least not to the full extent, or you'll go nuts, start with one, get it organized, get it refined and then get it to spread. As to what the con organizers can do, they can allow free entry to those willing to donate time (4 hour blocks?) to being on the recycling staff. (Wardens, rinsers, sorters) They can work with the convention center to set up recycling stations and limit the waste receptacles, as well as setting up signs to direct people to the waste/recycling areas. Remember, less waste means less work for the convention center in the long run. They can also work with the convention center to set aside an area to rinse out plastic containers. They can make up reusable signs for the recycling stations. I think that one of the problems that you are facing is that you are organizing on a small scale for a project on the grand scale, you need to get more people who have control of the convention in on the organizing.