For last years NYE party I got CFL black Lights. I'm still trying to identify which are the CFLs I like. Our first batch was great, but it seems during the great CFL rebate/subsidy era a bunch of icky ones made it to market and into our house. I'd like to replace those.

I give full credit to the rebate/subsidy programs for prompting us to switch. We'd given it a try once, weren't totally sold, then one day some dudes from home depot dropped by courtesy our complex and dropped off some oscillating fans and a boatload of CFLs. We may still be using a few of them. We were all in after that.

I've been told that's what I'm doing. But I do the finger in the dirt to make sure it's starting to dry out. I don't know... maybe I just don't have the touch.

Because of the recent mention of Method products I gave them a second look at Target this weekend. I needed dishwashing soap and dishwasher detergent. The dishwasher detergent price was so close to my normal Cascade that I decided to give it a try, and after one wash, I am sold. No odors (I picked the unscented) and as promised on the package, no film. I compared them to some dishes in the cupboard and they weren't nearly as shiny as the ones that just came out of the dishwasher. They also got off the baked on and dried on ikkyness that was on some of the dishes and bowls. 2 :cheers: up for Method dishwasher detergents.

Haven't tried the soap yet, but as my cleaning products run out I'll be giving Method serious consideration when it comes to replacement.

I use Mrs. Meyers products for the most part. Method comes in second.

I took some classes with the guy who started the Method products company. He was in my graduating class at Stanford. I also love their products.

Just this week, one of those original CFLs died. I believe it's the first one to go. I pulled out a replacement and the difference in size and shape was surprising. New ones, even the off-brand ones, are much more compact and attractive.

The one thing about some CFLs is that it takes a few moments to come on. Some folks not knowing better will flip the switch off then on again trying to get it to come on. In some multi socket lamps I stick a low wattage bulb in one so that it will let them know the power is on. Other than that I have switched over completely to CFLs and some LED as well. It's made a difference in my bill, not to mention helping the environment. And I didn't spend more than a buck on any one of them, some I got a 3 for a dollar deal!

The problem I'm having with CFLs is that they contain mercury. While the amount is small in the individual light bulb, the mass quantities of these that are going to end up in the landfill one day and that can't be good.

Snopes link

Well, if that bothers you keep in mind that there are already a century's worth of flourescent light bulbs in landfills, generally of types that have way more mercury than household CFLs. Mercury-using flourescent bulbs are not new, just the smaller home uses.

Also, if you use a new model CFL until it burns out there will be about 0.2 milligrams (0.0002 grams) of Mercury released into the soil or air when it gets broken at a landfill. According to that link, if every single CFL sold was used to lifespan and then broken it would amount to a 0.1% increase in human mercury emissions. As it also notes, while a CFL puts 0.2 milligrams of mercury into the environment when broken at the end of its life, it saves 4.5 milligrams of mercury from going into the environment due to reduced power use.

So, I think you can safely say that in terms of environmental mercury, CFLs are very much the obvious choice.

Then on top of that, it is technically (though I doubt their is much recognition of it) illegal to put CFLs into the California landfills. But you can do your part to keep even that 0.2mg out of landfills by recycling your bulb at a designated e-waste recycling center.