I have a two part environmental dilemma. I know that CFL bulbs are better for the environment because they use less electricity for the same light output. However, they contain mercury, which is really bad for the environment. I tried looking around and I cant find any place locally that recycles CFL bulbs. I also dont feel comfortable throwing them out because they will end up in local landfills and the mercury will eventually find its way into ground water and local rivers and lakes. We already have too much mercury in the local bodies of water here. So do I stop buying CFL bulbs until there is a good recycling solution available or do I keep buying them and hope that by the time they burn out, we have a good recycling solution available?
Part two is that I have tried many different brands and color temperatures of CFL bulbs and for some areas, I just cant use them. For example, I have two lights in areas that get cold. One area is outside my front door and the other at the bottom of the stairs going to the garage and laundry area. It gets too cold outside during winter to use a CFL. It just never lights up some nights or it takes forever to light up. The one at the bottom of the stairs takes a long time to light up when its cold too. So I need incandescent bulbs for those locations. Another location is in my living room. I have a tall lamp that uses a 3 way bulb. I went out and bought a daylight color temperature 3 way bulb to replace the 3 way incandescent bulb I had in that lamp. Even though the CFL rated at the same lumens (light output) as the incandescent bulb, it didnt light up as much of the room as the incandescent bulb. So I tried another brand of 3 way CFL bulb that was also rated at the same lumens as the original incandescent bulb. It was a more expensive, widely recognized name brand that is known for making light bulbs. I ran into the same issue, its still not as bright as the incandescent 3 way bulb. There are corners of the room that are dark. It looks like the only way I can get the same brightness in a CFL is if I buy one rated at a higher wattage than the incandescent its replacing. However, I havent found any 3 way CFLs that are rated at higher than 150 watts or rated at higher lumens than the bulbs I bought.
Part two is that I have tried many different brands and color temperatures of CFL bulbs and for some areas, I just cant use them. For example, I have two lights in areas that get cold. One area is outside my front door and the other at the bottom of the stairs going to the garage and laundry area. It gets too cold outside during winter to use a CFL. It just never lights up some nights or it takes forever to light up. The one at the bottom of the stairs takes a long time to light up when its cold too. So I need incandescent bulbs for those locations. Another location is in my living room. I have a tall lamp that uses a 3 way bulb. I went out and bought a daylight color temperature 3 way bulb to replace the 3 way incandescent bulb I had in that lamp. Even though the CFL rated at the same lumens (light output) as the incandescent bulb, it didnt light up as much of the room as the incandescent bulb. So I tried another brand of 3 way CFL bulb that was also rated at the same lumens as the original incandescent bulb. It was a more expensive, widely recognized name brand that is known for making light bulbs. I ran into the same issue, its still not as bright as the incandescent 3 way bulb. There are corners of the room that are dark. It looks like the only way I can get the same brightness in a CFL is if I buy one rated at a higher wattage than the incandescent its replacing. However, I havent found any 3 way CFLs that are rated at higher than 150 watts or rated at higher lumens than the bulbs I bought.