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Fluorescent lighting is the poster child for efficient technology and electronics. While the long white tubes were traditionally seen in large institutions, like office buildings and product warehouses, CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lighting) can now be found in household floor lamps, street lights, and ceiling fixtures in restaurants.

According to EnergyStar.gov, CFLs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Since they’re more efficient, and a byproduct of energy consumption is heat, CFLs create less heat, making them safer to use in the home.

These kinds of statistics are impressive, but how many typical consumers understand the science behind lighting technologies?  And further, what are the health impacts of fluorescent lights?

CFLs tend to have a bad rep for creating harsher white light, which makes our eyes sore – not to mention the eyesore of the bulbs themselves. And then there’s the mercury that’s contained within the bulb itself, which would certainly be a safety issue within many households.

Luckily, CFL’s have not only been studied extensively for their efficiency and safety, but there have also been a lot of improvements to transition the technology from industrial to personal use.

Back at the ranch, Energystar.gov provides if a bulb breaks, which also gives tips on how to pick up other toxins in your home, and information on how to dispose of CFL bulbs properly. 

As to the details of CFL technology, www.Howstuffworks.com provides a seven-part tutorial.  Put simply, Compact Fluorescent Lighting creates light by inciting a chemical reaction, while an incandescent bulb heats up an element that emits light as a result.

CFLs are now more versatile and aesthetically pleasing.  Replacement for nearly any wattage can be found, sometimes called Soft White or Watt Replacements on packaging, and the tubes are now curled up and placed inside familiar looking round glass bulbs, to fit perfectly inside any lamp shade or even fit into fixtures featuring dimmers or three-way switches.

Some more interesting articles on CFLs:

• Popular Mechanics runs its own tests on several brands of CFLs and incandescent bulbs, studying brightness, light quality, heat, and efficiency.
• A short article about new laws to make recycling fluorescent bulbs easier for consumers, as well as some information on the environmental effects of disposing of these bulbs.