Recycle C. F. Lamps

Many of us use Compact Fluorescent Lamps.  They are good for the environment and our wallets.  They consume far less energy and last longer.  However, there is a problem:  they contain Mercury.  When these bulbs are trashed the Mercury will leach from the trash into the land fill and eventually into underground water sources.  Once it contaminates the water, it makes it to humans in no time.  As some of you may know, Mercury is Neurotoxin.  Extremely hazardous.  Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable.

Some use the above point as an argument against CFL’s.  That is not right.  Even though CFL’s have the potential to release Mercury, they are better than incandescent bulbs.  That is because, the biggest generators of mercury are the coal power plants.  Since CFL uses lot less energy than incandescent bulb, less electricity needs to be generated and less mercury released.  Overall the release of Mercury reduces when people switch to CFL.

So the bottom line:  Buy CFL’s, but recycle them.

More info can be found here