The new energy efficient light bulbs (CFL) are now becoming more and more popular as people begin to become more environmentally aware. These ”environmentalists” believe 
that these light bulbs will help save the environment because of their energy conservation. But they don’t seem to realize that these light bulbs contain mercury.
Mercury is an incredibly destructive toxin that is damaging to humans, animal life, and plant life. Now many people and websites will tell you that this mercury level is low and will not be released into the environment unless the light bulb is broken during desposal. Well, light bulbs are not exactly the most durable waste product, and even though these light bulbs last about three years, they still add mercury into our environment.
“The problem with the bulbs is that they’ll break before they get to the landfill. They’ll break in containers, or they’ll break in a dumpster or they’ll break in the trucks. Workers may be exposed to very high levels of mercury when that happens,” says John Skinner, executive director of the Solid Waste Association of North America.
It is also important to recognize that coal plants, which are the most common type of power plant in the United States, produce a large amount of mercury in their production of energy. But the presence of mercury in our own houses is caused but the CFl light bulbs.
So what is more important to the environmental community? The levels of mercury in the earth, or the over use of energy that is needed to light conventional light bulbs. Pick your poison.
http://www.eartheasy.com/live_energyeff_lighting.htm
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7431198
