Good for you switching over to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They use 75% less energy, produce 75% less heat and last 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. You’ll save about $30 (or more) in electricity costs over each bulb’s lifetime.

Burned out or broken CFLs need to be disposed of properly and should never be thrown in the trash. To find a CFL recycling center nearest you visit Earth911.com. Also, all the major home improvement retailers tend to have boxes for dropping off used CFls in the front entrance of the store.

Accidents do happen, so if a CFL bulb breaks, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends the following to protect against the tiny amounts of mercury in each bulb:
1. Open a nearby window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
2. Do NOT use a vacuum cleaner. Wear gloves and scoop up large fragments with cardboard, and use tape to pick up small pieces and powder on carpets. Put all these pieces in a puncture-proof container (such as a glass jar).
3. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels, and wash your hands after cleanup is complete.
4. Put all clean-up materials in the same sealed container and bring them to your nearest CFL recycling location.