Reducing the electricity you use for lighting in and around our house is a great idea. If you believe in helping the environment, this helps to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide put into the atmosphere by power plants, many of which burn coal. Even if you don’t believe in the greenhouse effect and climate change, it makes sense to lighten your lighting load—if only to save you some bucks. Compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs are a great way to do…
Dimmers eat energy so the savings is not what you would think.
As for lead content, well incandescents have lead in the base too, thats what that little blurb of metal at the bottom is.
CFL’s are getting better and better, though the light still is a tad harsh.
The best investment of all? Skylights!
CFL also contain Mercury.
Skylights serve little for lighting a room in the evening… your idea is great for during the day (when I’m usually at work) but doesn’t bode well for nighttime activity.
As far as dimmers “eating energy” you need to do your research a bit more. You will find that the energy “eaten” is equal to the amount “eaten” by a CFL ballast.
Also, CFL’s should not be mounted “base up”: as in a reccessed can (where most CFL’s find themselves). This reduces the life of the CFL dramatically (read the instructions...!)
Steve Castle is a striving environmentalist and senior editor for Electronic House Magazine.
Energy Star and the Future of Your Electronics (1)
Solar Powered Songs (2)
New Energy Standards for TVs (0)
The Greener Choice: CFLs or Dimmers? (4)
Most Terrifying Video? (12)
Green Video Tips (0)
Green Audio Tips (5)
Crestron Goes Greener (0)
External Power Supplies Get More Efficient (0)
Is Your Builder Green? (0)
CES 2008 Goes Green (2)
A Greener 2008? (0)
Electronic House is now available in a digital edition. Learn more.
Stay up-to-date with home electronics. 
Weekly email offers tips, info and product news.
Get the content that's important to you.
CFL containe lead in them and are considered a hazardous material. Dont kid yourself due some research on CFL and be informed of the danger they can cause. CFL are a step in the right direction but need to be less harmfull and less costly to dispose of.