so i have had this discussion before and it always seem to be a lively one. for years the only option for most light bulb applications was the traditional incandescent, but in recent years the introduction of compact fluorescent bulbs has changed the playing field and they have been quickly followed by the introduction of LED bulbs. each has its benefits and drawbacks.

are CFLs safe?
which gives off the best light?
is the money you save really worth the extra expense?

i pose these introductory questions and i will hold my commentary until others have had the chance to chime in.

I hear all the time that CFLs aren't safe. Something about the mercury content in them. Is that true? I have been told to avoid certain fish like tuna and swordfish because of mercury content and I worry that CFLs are the same thing.

I haven't updated to them because of this. I just don't think they are safe enough.

As far as LED lights, I haven't seen anything in the stores that would do anything more than a night light. Is there something else I am missing?

I think CFLs are plenty safe. The mercury is contained in vapor form. As the bulb gets older there is less and less free mercury in a case where the bulb breaks.

I do wonder what the huff is all about though. Our commercial, business and warehouse structures that almost all of us inhabit to work are full of fluorescent bulbs which have much more mercury than our home CFLs do.

I can't find LEDs in the stores yet and that tells me they aren't ready for primetime as it were. Does anyone know when we can expect LED as a commercially viable, readily available option for lighting?

LED  (light emitting diode) technology produces much less power and heat (up to 90% less) than traditional incandescent lighting. The lifetime of an LED lamp is also much longer (5-10 yrs depending on useage).Our Low Power LED lights are just warm to touch after hours of operation, unlike traditional lighting which can burn fingers after only several minutes. This means most of the electricity consumed is efficiently produced as low power lighting instead of heat. LED Lights are often also referred to as Solid State Lighting, Low Power Lighting or LED Lumieres.
led fluorescent tube replacement

Check out this video of Ken Jeong (NBC's Community) as he speaks of how you can save money and the environment by simply turning off the lights. This video is part of NBCUniversal's environmental initiative "Green is Universal."

http://video.greenisuniversal.com/f...g/v1321547

I'm helping NBCUniversal spread the word about their "Green is Universal" campaign, so let me know if anyone has questions.

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Derek