New book explores how breaking car dependency could transform human health and environmental protection

Three journalists have launched a compelling investigation into one of modern society’s most overlooked environmental and health crises: our overwhelming dependence on automobiles. Sarah Goodyear, Doug Gordon, and Aaron Naparstek, hosts of “The War on Cars” podcast, have co-authored a new book titled “Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile,” which examines how cultural forces created our car-centric world and explores pathways to a healthier, more sustainable future.

The book reveals how decades of auto industry lobbying have created a transportation system that wreaks havoc on both human health and the environment. Car dependency contributes to a surprising range of health problems, from increased loneliness and respiratory illnesses to potentially accelerating Alzheimer’s disease. Switching to electric vehicles won’t solve these issues entirely, Gordon explains, since EVs actually produce toxic tire particulates faster than traditional cars due to their heavier weight.

The environmental toll extends far beyond human health. In the United States alone, nearly one million animals die on roads daily, while noise pollution from traffic affects ecosystems within miles of major roadways. The authors argue that cars have become “an overwhelming determinative force” shaping individual lives, society, politics, and nature itself.

Rather than simply critiquing the current system, “Life After Cars” offers hope by exploring how communities can redesign transportation to prioritize human health and environmental protection. The book suggests that addressing car dependency could deliver some of the most significant improvements possible for both personal wellbeing and planetary health.