In Manhattan I’d shower, take the train to work, immediately go wipe my face in the bathroom with a damp paper towel and the paper would have black smudges all over it.
Imagine the long term health implications scaled up to the whole population.
Compared to what?
Are you trying to say that you have already done this cost/benefit calculation and decided that there is nothing which can be done to improve the situation? If not, what are you trying to say?
If you want some reading material about solutions though, there's a lot of stuff out there about reducing car reliance. Building proper public transport infrastructure, building walkable and bikeable cities, that sort of stuff. Keeping the advantages of easy and efficient transportation, while alleviating some of the disadvantages. I can suggest some if you want?
Maybe in the “real world” we should discuss solutions rather than conjure up excuses to accept major problems.