Green Daily

In recent years, the compact fluorescent light bulb (or CFL) has gained popularity amongst Americans and environmentalists alike. The CFL bulb (like a traditional fluorescent light) sends electricity through mercury vapor which then excites argon or neon gas to produce light. Incandescent light bulbs pass electricity through a thin filament which then heats up and produces light. Because each bulb produces light in a different way, each type consumes a different amount of energy.

CFL Benefits:
On average, the CFL uses 75 percent less energy to produce the same amount of light as an incandescent bulb. Generally, CFLs last ten times as long as an incandescent bulb and produces less heat. Less heat means less chance of a fire and less wasted energy. You need the light, not the heat, after all. Over the course of its lifetime, a single CFL bulb will save you $30.

Incandescent Benefits:
Incandescent bulbs are an old standby. They fit most every type of lamp and are easy to find. They contain no mercury and so disposal and clean up (if broken) is simple. But beware! Broken glass is still dangerous. Incandescent bulbs also cost slightly less than their CFL counterparts.

Common Misconceptions:

Fluorescent light is harsh and ugly, especially for home use.
FALSE: CFLs come in a variety of types and if the right bulb is chosen it's virtually impossible to tell the difference between it and an incandescent light.

CFL bulbs are too difficult to find in stores.
FALSE: CFLs are now everywhere. Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot and many hardware stores carry them. And what you can't find in stores can easily be located online.

It's just a light bulb -- it won't make a significant difference in my energy bill or to the environment.
FALSE: If every American household changed one light to a CFL, we would save $600 million in energy costs and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 800,000 cars from the road.

Our Verdict:
CFLs cost less over their lifetime, require less energy to operate, create fewer greenhouse gases and produce better light than their incandescent counterparts. And if you learn how to dispose of fluorescent bulbs properly, the scale is entirely tipped in favor of the CFL. Find out where to recycle CFLs in your state.

What are you waiting for? Go green with CFL bulbs!

• Energy Star can help get you started and keep you going: Light Bulbs and Fixtures
• AOL Shopping sells Energy Star lighting products.
• Environmental Defense also has a searchable database of CFLs that let's you find them by fixture type, shape, brightness and other features.