I avoid disposable plates and utensils when I can. They are acceptable perhaps for a crowd or the airport food court but certainly never at home for a routine meal.
Part of it is personal preference. Ever had a paper plate collapse or cut through a plastic plate or had a plastic knife snap in two? It has probably happened to us all. Heat retention of warmed ceramics and glass is great. I find disposables, forgive me, a bit unsightly as well.
The other is a sense of ecology. Reuse of items and the reduction of waste are both preferable to recycling which itself very seldom occurs with paper or plastic place setting items, anyway. My employer provides disposable plates, cups, utensils and bowls in our company kitchen but several years ago, I mostly swore them off and made a personal choice to bring and use porcelain coffee mugs & plates and steel silverware. Sure, I have to wash them (soap, drying rack and sponges also kindly provided) but even on a heavy day like when I bring a plastic container of BBQ and make a cucumber salad, I may have two minutes of dishes.
I don't have any illusions about saving the planet or anything but I'm pleased with my small contributions here and there. I'm not religious about it and I sometimes use the odd paper plate or bowl and it is hard to get around paper napkins. And on religious, I'm not evangelizing but simply replying to the question and happy to provide my view.
For BBQ photos, I agree that the proof is on the plate.
