DEAR EARTHTALK: Why aren't compact fluorescent light bulbs taking over more quickly from incandescents, given their substantial energy-saving advantage? And what about recycling them when they ultimately burn out? I've heard they contain mercury.
- Nancy Holmes, Seaside, OR

Analysts at the nonprofit Earth Policy Institute (EPI) estimate that the United States could close 80 coal-fired power plants if Americans switched over en masse to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). A global shift, says EPI, could close some 270 power plants worldwide. CFLs use less than a third of the energy required to power a traditional incandescent light bulb to produce the same amount of light.

It's hard to say exactly why a quicker transition over to CFLs hasn't yet taken place in the U.S., given this substantial energy- and greenhouse gas-saving potential. China, Australia, Canada, Venezuela and Cuba have each committed to phasing out incandescent bulbs entirely within the next five years, and dozens of other countries, including all 27 members of the European Union, are deliberating whether to follow suit.

In lieu of a federal mandate in the U.S. calling for a switchover to CFLs the private sector, with some prodding from green groups, is taking some of its own initiatives. The nation's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, announced last year that it would double annual sales of CFLs to 100 million by 2008 as part of an effort to green both operations and inventory. Home Depot, Lowes and local hardware stores everywhere are getting into the act as well, giving CFLs prominent shelf space and offering deals to promote them. And Energy Federation, Inc., which has been promoting the use of CFLs since the 1980s, will ship direct to consumers anywhere from its Massachusetts warehouse.

Meanwhile, a coalition of nonprofits - including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Alliance to Save Energy, American Coalition for an Energy-Efficient Economy and Earth Day Network - has launched an initiative with Philips Lighting, the world's biggest maker of CFLs, to get Americans to make the switch.

Switching over to CFLs doesn't come without trade-offs. Bulbs each contain trace amounts of mercury (usually four to five milligrams), a toxic heavy metal. Exposure to mercury can cause a wide range of health problems, including damage to the central nervous system, kidneys and liver. It is also a major contaminant, polluting groundwater and waterways and posing a health threat to wildlife.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the amount of airborne mercury present after a CFL breaks is negligible. Nonetheless, the EPA recommends that when a CFL bulb breaks, you should immediately open the windows and vacate the premises for at least 15 minutes to minimize the risk of exposure. Afterwards, you should clean up the breakage using gloves and/or paper towels or disposable rags (and avoid using a vacuum cleaner, which can stir up the airborne mercury). Remaining fragments, as well as any paper towels or rags used to clean them up, should be sealed in a plastic bag and disposed of at a local household hazardous waste collection site.

Burned-out CFLs can also be disposed of at such sites or, in some cases, recycled at the store where they were bought. To locate a CFL recycling facility near you, visit earth911.org and type in your zip code.

CONTACTS: Earth Policy Institute; Energy Federation, Inc.; Earth 911.

DEAR EARTHTALK: My condo kitchen floor is vinyl, installed back in 1979. I am told the vinyl contains asbestos. Now it needs replacing. How do I safely remove the vinyl and what are some green choices for a new floor?
- Green Dreamer, via e-mail

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that can be used in a variety of industrial applications due to its strong flexible fibers, its resilience to heat and chemicals, and the fact that it does not conduct electricity. From the late 1800s through the 1970s, asbestos was used extensively in the U.S. and elsewhere in everything from pipes and insulation to siding and flooring, including vinyl tiles.

The problem with asbestos is that its microscopic fibers can become airborne when materials containing it get worn out, damaged or disturbed. Inhaling these airborne fibers can lead to a variety of health problems such as asbestosis (a chronic lung ailment that can produce shortness of breath and permanent lung damage) and a variety of cancers, including those of the lung, larynx and gastrointestinal tract.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) effectively banned asbestos in 1989. (The ban was later overturned in federal court as a result of pressure from mining and construction interests, but the damage to the substance's reputation was too formidable for industry to start using it widely again.) Today, the only money to be made from asbestos is by those in the business of getting rid of it, and an entire industry has sprung up specializing in safely removing asbestos from both commercial and residential buildings.

The EPA recommends that homeowners who want to remove asbestos-containing materials from their residences hire a licensed contractor to do the dirty work, so as not to compromise family or personal health. The EPA maintains an online listing of asbestos removal specialists across the country, and homeowners can also look in their local Yellow Pages under "asbestos abatement" or "asbestos removal" to find local contractors qualified to remove and dispose of the stuff safely and completely.

Hiring such a firm can cost thousands of dollars; so many do-it-yourselfers still take it upon themselves to remove worn asbestos-containing materials (tiles, siding, etc.) from their own homes. Anyone willing to undertake such risks should make sure to get a respirator and other safety equipment to protect against inhaling airborne asbestos particles, and should seal off work areas so the carcinogenic dust does not spread into other areas of the building. The Flooring Lady website is chock full of details on how to minimize risks and includes strong reminders that such a task is not for the risk-averse.

As for what to replace those worn vinyl tiles with, many greener choices abound. Bamboo, cork, linoleum, and sustainably harvested or reclaimed wood are all environmentally sound and widely available flooring options. Some of these products are available at the big box home improvement stores like Lowe's and Home Depot, but better selections can be found at online green building supply stores like Ecohaus, Green Building Supply and GreenFloors, among others.

CONTACTS: U.S. EPA Asbestos Information; The Flooring Lady; Ecohaus; Green Building Supply; GreenFloors.

DEAR EARTHTALK: My New Year's Resolution is to reduce my "carbon footprint" to help fight global warming. Do you have suggestions for ways I can make good on my promise?
- Carrie, via e-mail

There's never been a more urgent time to reduce your carbon footprint. With the U.S. government still opting out of mandatory emissions cuts, it's up to every individual, business owner and city or state government to take steps. So here are 10 ways to get you started in the new year:

1. Step-up Recycling and Composting. Recycling prevents carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by saving the energy it takes to make products from new materials and by saving the energy it takes to incinerate or landfill what we discard. And composting food scraps turns organic material back into fertile soil, which itself is an efficient carbon "sink." To get started, see: www.earth911.org and www.howtocompost.org.
    
2. Stay Close Or Stay Put. About half the CO2 we generate comes from our car trips, so walk, bike or take mass transit instead. Air travel also produces huge amounts of CO2, so the less you fly, the smaller your carbon footprint. See: www.culturechange.org.
    
3. Eat Organic and Local. Stick to foods produced organically and you prevent harmful pesticides and fertilizers from polluting air, waterways, soils and family members. And if the food is grown nearby, thousands of pounds of CO2 weren't emitted getting it to your grocery store. See: www.100milediet.org.
    
4. Buy Green Power. Your power company might just source part of its supply from renewable sources like hydro-electric or wind, and will sell it to customers who know to ask for it. See: www.green-e.org.
    
5. Change Out Your Lightbulbs. A compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL) uses less than a third of the energy of an incandescent bulb to produce the same amount of light - and it lasts 10 times longer. And some CFLs now have 3-way capabilities and can be dimmed. Visit Energy Federation, Inc. at: www.efi.org.
    
6. Upgrade and Unplug. Upgrading any appliances (including computers and TVs)? Be sure to look for the "Energy Star" logo, which only energy efficient models can wear. Also, turn off appliances when not in use to prevent wasting so-called phantom energy coming in off the grid. See: www.energystar.gov.
    
7. Adjust Your Thermostats. If you don't need a sweater indoors, your heat is too high. Likewise, in hot weather turn down the AC. Also, keeping your hot water at no more than 120 degrees - the minimum temperature to keep the water bacteria-free - is another way to save energy, money and the environment.
    
8. Plant a Tree... Or 300! An average tree stores 13 pounds of carbon per year; a mature tree can absorb upwards of four times that amount. Just 300 trees can counterbalance the amount of greenhouse gas pollution that one person produces in a lifetime. So get to work! See: www.americanforests.org/planttrees.
    
9. Buy Offsets. Many organizations sell "carbon offsets," whereby you pay a voluntary fee to offset your daily CO2 emissions. The money usually goes to develop alternative, renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar. See: www.climatetrust.org, www.nativeenergy.com and www.my-climate.com.
    
10. Get Involved. Donate time or money to groups working to fight global warming. Just about all green groups devote some work to climate change, and they need your help. See: www.volunteermatch.org.

© the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine, 2008

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Now in its 18th year, E/The Environmental Magazine is a bimonthly “clearinghouse” of information, news and resources for people concerned about the environment who want to know “What can I do?” to make a difference. A 13-time Independent Press Awards winner and nominee, E is chock full of everything environmental - from recycling to rainforests, and from the global village to our own backyards.

Published bimonthly by a staff of six full-time and two part-time employees (plus a steady stream of college interns), E reaches a national audience in a smartly designed full-color format, printed on recycled paper. Published by the nonprofit (501-c-3) Earth Action Network, Inc., E is independent of any membership organization and has no agenda to promote except that of our very diverse and dynamic movement as a whole.