When all the world was styrofoam

Cities and states are increasingly banning . . . foam food and beverage containers, which can harm fish and other marine life. In December, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York proposed a statewide ban on single-use food containers made of “expanded polystyrene” foam, more commonly . . . known as Styrofoam.  Maine and Maryland banned polystyrene foam containers last year, and nearly 60 nations have enacted or are in the process of passing similar prohibitions. Some elected officials and environmental groups say polystyrene containers are difficult to recycle in any meaningful way.
Michael Corkery. NYT.

When all the world was styrofoam

and you were sweet sixteen;

we tossed our cups with carefree joy,

and sparkled like caffeine.

Those happy days saw plastics rain

upon our giddy heads;

'disposal' was our watchword,

from beer bottles to torn Keds.

Ah me, how oft we cast away

a light bulb or a can.

And ate but pure white flour,

casting off the nasty bran.

Hand in hand, with plastic bags

that stuck right by our side,

we raced the fleecy cloud banks

and then watched the oil slicks glide.

But now, my love, the world grows old

and crowded with much rubbish;

it hardly seems the place that we

enjoyed as so golf clubbish.

Perhaps the two of us can fly

away up to the Moon,

to watch the litter falling soft

until it forms a dune . . .