Consumption for Convenience

I was cooking tonight and was struck by just how ingrained it is in our society to use throw-away items just because it's convenient. This recipe told me to put the partially prepared items on waxed paper or aluminum foil until the next step. And frankly, I probably wouldn't do this just because I don't have enough countertop space - I'd automatically use something that would hold up on its own. But why use something to throw away? Just so you don't have another dish to wash? That's not an awful reason, I admit. But it seems a little lazy and shallow. I know these are not revolutionary ideas, but it just struck me differently tonight.