You'd think with our giant Cerebrums we'd learn faster

"And Man created the
plastic bag
and the tin
and aluminum can
and the cellophane wrapper
and the paper plate
and the disposable bottle,
and this was good
because Man could then take his
automobile
and buy his food all in one place
and he could save that which was good to eat in the
refrigerator
and throw away that which had no further use.
And pretty soon the earth was covered with
plastic bags
and aluminum cans
and paper plates and
disposable bottles,
and there was nowhere left
to sit down
or to walk.
And Man shook his head
and cried,
'Look at all this God-awful litter.'"

--Art Buchwald, 1970