Most big cities had extensive electric trolleys you could hop on and off of for free. Walkable cities with decent public transportation that didn't pollute the air!
And we replaced that so we could have a bunch of shitty cars burning leaded gasoline for decades....
Really explains the boomers and silent generation.... And hell, Gen X probably grew up with some that sweet leaded gas fumes, and lead paint. And there's still extensive lead pipes serving water.