Traditional energy-consuming incandescent light bulbs will soon go the way of the Dodo bird when they are completely phased out by 2012. As a result, governments have been pushing to have compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs take their place. CFLs — those cute, swirly thingamajigs — were introduced several years ago as far greener, energy-saving alternative, but they have a downside.

Since they contain mercury, considered a hazardous waste, when CFLs burn out they have to be taken to a collection depot and then trucked to a smelter for recycling. If they break, put on the HAZMAT suit and call Environment Canada. No broom or vacuum cleaner here. But there is another option.

Energy-saving, environmentally friendly LED (light-emitting-diodes) lights don’t have that problem. “It’s not harmful to the environment since there’s no mercury in them. So in some instances it’s really appealing in a home,” says Jamie Shapiro, vice president and director of sales for LED Source (www.ledsource.com), a LED lighting franchise servicing eastern Canada.