All fluorescent lights, including CFLs, contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. Mercury is an essential, irreplaceable element in CFLs and is what allows the bulb to be an efficient light source. A CFL contains about 5 milligrams of mercury. That is about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. By comparison, older home thermometers contain 500 milligrams of mercury and many heating-system thermostats contain up to 3,000 milligrams. It would take between 100 and 600 CFLs to equal those amounts.

Consider your options. Incandescent lighting uses 75-percent-more electricity than CFLs, and that electricity often comes from coal-fired electric plants. These plants produce tremendous amounts of carbon emissions and are also responsible for spewing tons of mercury into our waterways and on our soil each year.

So switching from incandescent lighting to fluorescent light will actually result in less mercury in our environment.

CAREFUL CLEANUP

CFLs are safe to use in your home. No mercury is released when the bulbs are in use, and they pose no danger to you or your family when used properly. However, CFLs are made of glass tubing and can break if dropped. Even if you do break a CFL, Pierce said, research has shown that there is no health risk to you and your family if you clean up properly.

Follow these steps for proper cleanup:

Sweep up all glass fragments and particles. Don't use a vacuum.

Wipe the area with a damp paper towel to pick up any small shards of glass or fine particles. Sticky-sided tape, duct tape, for example, can be used to pick up very small pieces of glass on carpet.

Place broken pieces, paper towel and tape in a sealed plastic bag and take to a household-hazardous-waste collection facility.

It is best not to throw burned-out or broken CFLs into your household garbage. The mercury contained in these bulbs can be recycled and reused. Take burned-out or broken CFLs to a household-hazardous-waste collection facility or event in your community. To see a list of all such programs in New York State go to: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dshm/redrecy/hhwsum.htm.

For more information about ways to save energy, as well as programs that might help you with energy saving costs call 1-877-NY-SMART or visit the Web site: www.Get

EnergySmart.org.

Amy Ivy is executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Clinton County. Office phone numbers: Clinton County 561-7450, Essex County 962-4810, Franklin County 483-7403. Web site: http://www.cce.cornell.edu/ecgardening. E-mail questions to askMG@cornell.edu