I believe it was. A lot of the trash we see today didn't exist back them.
No Plastic Trash, Bags, & Bottles,
Bottles were glass and Soda pop bottles usually had a deposit for return.
No Fast food joints handing out wrappers and bags like crazy through a window.
Everything was biodegradable or metals that were recycled by virtue of it was cheaper to recycle than make new.
Retail packaging of all products was minimal and often didn't exist at all.

Less trash and less waste back in those days. IMHO