While most attendees to Comic-Con in San Diego this weekend may be used to the Earth being saved by superheroes on the pages of a comic book or up on the silver screen, waste handlers servicing the event are hoping to do a little bit of planet saving of their own. Waste Management, working in concert with the San Diego Convention Center, has pledged to divert more waste from landfills than ever before. Last year Waste Management recycled more than 98 tons of material from the event, and this year hopes to exceed that total by a whopping 30 tons, according to a Waste Management press release.

"Our goal is to transform Comic-Con attendees and vendors into environmental heroes," said Jason Rose, Area Vice President for Waste Management, in the release. "As Comic-Con is one of San Diego's biggest annual events, this is a great opportunity to come through for our environment by recycling as much as possible while at Comic-Con and then taking that mindset home once the event is over."

The company plans to hand-sort all trash from the event to maximize diversion. Additionally, a second automated baler for cardboard recycling will allow Waste Management to cut trips to its El Cajon recycling facility from last year's 34 trips to as few as seven during this year's four-day event (July 12–15). All trucks servicing Comic-Con will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

"Our Center takes the role of being a green facility very seriously. We are committed to preserving the earth's natural resources and have numerous green programs and initiatives in place," said Carol Wallace, President and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation, in the press release. "With Comic-Con being our highest attended event of the year, attendees have the power to make this year's the greenest ever by recycling and being conscious of the environment."

Despite the green focus, it’s a safe bet any Comic-Con attendee worth his polybagged collector’s edition will continue to shun the misbegotten and thankfully still defunct environmental superhero Captain Planet.