Anything but water

Chemicals are natural, sometimes

1. In all the drug war debates, people rarely mention the success of Portugal's decriminalization of ALL drugs. The DEA guys probably have a clue, which is why some of them are "betraying" the cause and going into the legal pot business
   
   
2. Interesting report on the interaction of hipsters and the poor in Portland. It turns out well
   
   
3. Lots of Brazilians want you to stay away during the World Cup because they want their politicians to spend money on schools and hospitals instead of showy stadiums
   
   
4. Payback: Pollution from China affects western US states that import lots of stuff from China that was previously made in the US*
   
   
5. Great analysis of Google's purchase of Nest (a maker of hi-tech thermostats), which will make it easier to advertise energy efficiency to Nest users (win-win, in the tradition of google ads; Facebook would probably post your stats in public)

H/T to RM

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* I love free-trade, but the "offshoring pollution" hypothesis (production is moved to a country with lax environmental regulations while consumption continues as normal) is a weakness when poorer governments do not/cannot care about pollution to their citizens or neighbors.**

** Game over for sustainability/mitigating climate change: "In the 1950s and 1960s the world economy was transformed by the emergence of the American consumer. Now China seems poised to become the next consumption superpower." Consumption -- not quality of life -- is the biggest barrier to sustainability.***

*** Most important footnote, ever.