The Brief, March 17: Texting Trash, Emerald City Secrets

Top o' the mornin' to ya! Or afternoon … or happy hour at your local pub. Whatever your schedule on this St. Paddy's Day, we're bombarding you with green news — from the environmental variety to the emerald-toned sort. Drop some f-bombs and switch of the lights, as we bring you Briefy good stuff in lieu of shamrocks. Now go soak up a little luck o' the Irish.

Take your green beer and vitamins. I hear "Irish Fever" is going around. Ranters and ravers (and clover smugglers) droppin' some shamrock knowledge. In the absence of retail therapy, profanity therapy will do. Have you hedged your bets on the office pool yet? I'm fl*cking my lights off. (Are you?) Right whale baby boom. Tip-off for the "cool" amongst us: Laser-powered is the new hydrogen-powered. Get with the times. The Wizard turns 70. Secrets galore, unlocked here. China is taking carbon-reducing baby steps. Text-messaging trash cans. Even our garbage is getting tech-savvy.