Sorting items for disposal: a mentally taxing task

It's a phenomenon as old as my obsession with green living. Friends come over, often unannounced, which is perfectly delightful! They come armed with a case of beer and a bag of chips. We open a bottle of wine and start a fire and sit cozily in the living room (or on the patio) enjoying the ambiance of orange flickers, good music, and fabulous company. When the evening draws to a close, my counter is simply impossible to find. It is camouflaged by beer bottles and cans, chip bags, candy wrappers etc. Why? You ask. Don't you have a garbage can? You ask. I indeed have a garbage can. I have several garbage cans - 4 to be exact. One for paper and plastic, one for glass, one for compostable material, and one for anything that can not be recycled, reused, or utilized in any way - garbage. Apparently, my dear friends and family aren't sure into which can items should be deposited. When I discovered the gravity of the 'garbage on the counter' problem, I labeled each garbage collecting vessel in the greatest detail possible. This method of simplification seemed only to compound the frustration and confusion surrounding the seemingly simple act of throwing something away. So, I recently created signs with no words at all. No reading necessary. Even individuals in altered states of consciousness can identify a picture right? I placed a large full color picture of cigarette boxes and water bottles on the recycling bin, a picture of bottles on the glass bin, a picture of vegetables on the compost bin, and a picture of a recycling can with a big red circle and slash around it on the garbage bin. This did not prove to be an effective strategy. Sigh. So, I finally pulled all 4 cans out from under the kitchen sink and lined them up in front of the kitchen table at a recent gathering. That worked! Earlier this week, three friends who were present at the previous gathering came to visit. I gave no thought to my garbage cans. I thought, surely, they are all now well acquanted with the cans. Alas, I was wrong. Still my counter was littered with garbage upon their departure. I laughed. I suppose I would prefer everything is left on the counter for me to sort if the alternative is improperly sorted garbage. My dear friends and family clearly respect my green living ideologies and the very thought of mis-sorting their 'garbage' items in my home is simply too much bear. I find this all to be a very amusing and interesting study of human nature. I've decided to embrace it, so please, if you're not sure in which bin your item belongs. . .leave it on the counter. I'd be happy to sort your items appropriately. - Thank-you, the management.