Then again, this isn’t the first time the U.S. has had to make big changes after we learned something about cars was really bad for people and the planet. Turns out, lead is terrible for you, too, and gas used to be full of it. Despite objections from the oil and gas industry (as well as everyone in their pocket), the U.S. banned leaded gas, and America became a better place to live because of it. Meanwhile, the people who freaked out about government interference have been proven wrong again and again, as we learn how much damage leaded gas really did to people before finally being banned in 1996.
Aside from the fact that enough lead exposure can literally kill you, lower levels of lead make people more impulsive and violent, something that likely contributed to increases in violent crime until leaded gasoline was finally banned. In fact, a 2022 meta-analysis published in the journal Regional Science and Urban Economics looked at 24 of the most reputable studies on the subject and found that it probably wasn’t the only factor at play, but lead exposure is still tied to an increase in violent crime. Meanwhile, a lot of those “new made-up diseases kids didn’t have in the past,” such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD, are now directly tied to lead exposure, as well.
Like lead, policies that would reduce tire use have other benefits. Building more apartments and condos in downtown areas would give more people the option to drive less, but more housing supply also means more affordable housing. That’s just how supply and demand work. Want to see America get healthier? Great news! Driving everywhere all the time is directly linked to a long list of bad health outcomes, whether we’re talking about how much fast food we eat, obesity rates, chronic stress, or other mental health issues. The more cities disincentivize driving, the easier it will be to actually make America healthy again.Â
Are big changes scary? For some people, sure. Would we benefit from more research that confirms the Alzheimer’s link? Absolutely. But we already figured out how to slash the amount of lead we’re exposed to on a daily basis, and we can do the same thing with 6PPD. It’s just a matter of whether we choose to do something about it or let the oil and gas industry convince us everything is hopeless, and there’s nothing to be done about filling our lungs with Alzheimer’s-causing tire particles. They’re going to fight to keep raking in piles of cash, but we don’t have to let them. After all, are we not the same nation that won back-to-back world wars, landed the first person on the moon, and invented the Crunchwrap Supreme? I think we’ve got this.
