As many as 63 million Americans may be consuming dangerous H20.

Water. It hydrates you, powers you through workouts, and makes up 65 percent of your body. But lately, you may have some concerns.

Last year, chemical sludge from a shoe manufacturer was found in the tap water of Plainfield Township, Michigan. The area lies about 120 miles from Flint, where, in 2015, dangerous levels of lead were found in the city’s drinking supply. Experts soon linked the tainted water to local outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease (a severe form of pneumonia). More than a dozen people died, fertility rates plummeted, and the toll on countless children’s future health might not be known for a generation. Read more

Water is the essence of life, except for when it isn’t. In some instances, people need to stay as far away as possible from certain bodies of water, and here are the deadliest that the planet has to offer.

Rio Tinto: Andalusia, Spain

Andalusia, Spain’s Rio Tinto is a toxic mix of heavy metal mining byproducts and acid drain-off. Since about 3,000 BC, the areas around the river have been mined for their rich deposits of gold, silver, copper, and other precious minerals. The end result is the technicolor waters that run 62 miles to the Gulf of Cadiz. Surprisingly, though the waters are too dangerous for humans, they aren’t devoid of life. Read more

Before I started writing this article, I didn’t spend much time thinking about water. I knew that drinking water is a good thing, and drinking activated charcoal water can be a bad thing. But if you asked me the difference is between mineral water and regular water? I had no clue.

Admit it. You don’t know the difference

It’s pretty obvious that mineral water is, well, water with minerals, but what minerals? Doesn’t all water have minerals? I wanted a concrete definition — I’m talking Scripps National Spelling Bee level, people.

It turns out, some people do know what mineral water is. Those people are the FDA, which actually regulates bottled water. They say that natural mineral waters must contain at least 250 parts per million (ppm) “total dissolved solids,” originating from “a geologically and physically protected underground water source.” In other words, mineral waters have to come out of the earth that way. Read more

Easy tips for conserving water at home

Diverse plantings, such as the ones seen at this home on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza, can help conserve water.

With Earth Day approaching and California’s drought-related water restrictions in the news, water efficiency is on many people’s minds. Fortunately, simple changes at home can often result in major water savings. “Most homeowners can take action to reduce their water use in a significant way,” says Bill Christiansen, program manager at the nonprofit Alliance for Water Efficiency. “We’ve seen the marketplace transform, and a lot of the fixtures have become very efficient.” Read more

Plastics are flooding into the oceans. But you can help.

This story is part of a series on ocean plastics.

Plastics are overwhelming our oceans and landfills. Every year, an estimated 19 billion pounds of plastic garbage end up in the sea. In the U.S. alone, approximately 56 billion pounds of plastic are dumped annually in landfills.

Worryingly, it remains unknown exactly how all these plastics ― which don’t biodegrade and could linger in the environment for centuries ― could impact human health and the world around us. But here’s a heartening truth: We can all do something to mitigate this growing plastics crisis. Yes, all. From entrepreneurs and corporations who need to rethink the way plastic products are designed and manufactured; to lawmakers who can push for the protection of fragile environments from plastic pollution; to individuals (that means you) whose seemingly small daily actions can add up to something huge, we all have a role to play. Read more