Birthday parties are a lot of work for parents, so I understand the desire to simplify, but I can't help feeling horribly guilty whenever I slide a dirty
Styrofoam plate —
piled with food scraps, a crumpled paper napkin, plastic cutlery, cup balancing on top — into a garbage bag that's been set out for this purpose.
Unfortunately, this can result in excessive amounts of waste, as many hosts set out
piles of
Styrofoam plates, plastic cutlery, and plastic cups in order to reduce the amount of cleanup and broken glasses in the backyard.