A high tide of journalism, activism, and corporate public relations has made plastic a priority for people around the globe. One out of four respondents in an Orb Media online poll of 42,000 people in 30 countries said they are “extremely worried” about plastic. But heightened awareness has bred confusion over people’s responsibilities and options, and the role of governments and industry in reducing plastic pollution. What’s the real problem with plastic, and what are the most promising and feasible solutions?

Original research by Orb Media reveals for the first time how microscopic plastic fibers have contaminated tap water from around the world. We look at plastic’s deep penetration into human life, and we examine the mystery of why plastic fibers have come to contaminate the water that millions depend on and what that might mean for human health.

It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live; the question isn’t if you’ve faced a financial emergency but when — and when you did, how you managed it. We use this question as a barometer to measure the efficacy of financial inclusion and the success of poverty alleviation around the world.

The World Bank’s 2014 Global Findex survey suggests that formal financial structures give people resiliency when financial emergencies happen, but it turns out that formal financial structures don't increase a person’s ability to weather a financial shock.