[NeilBlanchard]

Did you know that fluorescent tubes that we have had for like 60 years have far more mercury in them than is used in CFL's? It is like 40mg vs 2-3mg. We already have recycling for CFL's and the tube fluorescent - my local Aubuchon Hardware takes them, and I think other stores do as well. They recover the mercury and use it in new CFL bulbs.

You know where a HUGE majority of the mercury that is poisoning our world comes from? Burning coal. I'm glad you're concerned about mercury, and we need to stop burning coal asap. By the way, with the amount of electricity saved by using CFL's instead of incandescent bulb, you probably save more mercury from getting into the environment - than if you throw away the CFL's. But of course, you can recycle them.

And yes, I'm transitioning over to LED's as the CFL's stop working. And I'm using some of the old incandescent bulb in the winter when the 98% waste heat is helpful, anyway. But come summer, I'll put LED's - and stay cooler. If I used A/C it would be maddening to have ~98% of the electricity used by bulbs then have to be pumped out of the house by the A/C.