Super Eco

Photo credit: Mukluk on Flickr

So you've been a good little eco-citizen for a while now, and everyone in the house has gotten used to the curly lightbulbs you've put in every fixture. But even though those compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) last longer than soon-to-be-extinct incandescents—and use less energy—they still do eventually burn out.

Wait! Don't put that CFL in the trash!

The downside to CFLs is the mercury. Every one of those little buggers has mercury in it, and there's no way you want to contaminate the landfills (already basting in their own toxic juices, but hey, you don't want to add to that), and consequently the water tables and environment, with toxic mercury. So, what to do? You have options.

1. Retail take-backs. IKEA offers a free take-back CFL recycling program, and Home Depot has bins—orange ones, natch—in which you can gently toss your spent CFLs.

2. Local recyclers. Use the resources at Lamp Recycle or Earth 911 to find a local recyler who takes CFLs and handles them safely.

3. Mail them. This option is feasible only if you use a LOT of light bulbs, like 100 a year, because although it's super-easy it's not free. For $82.50 you receive a lidded, postage-paid bucket in which you can safely store spent bulbs, and when you've accumulated about 90 of them (180 years' worth of bulbs at my house, but hey, maybe you like a LOT of light?) you just pop the whole thing in the mail. No worries.

4. Miscellaneous scores. Keep your eyes and ears open: lots of local municipalities offer CFL recycling, as do local power companies. Yours might be one of them. Since incandescents will be a thing of the past within a few years around most of the world, more and more municipalities will be choosing to help dispose safely of the newer, more efficient bulbs.