We would like to use more compact fluorescent bulbs, but the ones we have found have such a stark, bleak white light that we find we can't live with them. Are there brands or styles that have a softer warmth?  Does the technology of  fluorescent light make possible a armer, livable light?

 Nothing,I repeat nothing is totally green or bio-friendly. Solar panels produce electricty for decades,but they first have to be manufactured and that requires alot of electricty and waste.Don't forget the batteries that you have to store that electricity.Battery technology is weak right now,but improving as climate change is getting into peoples heads.
 Wind power is said to be detrimental to birds and migration patterns.Let me tell you that wind power is a pain,mostly because there are frequent break downs and somebody either has to climb the tower and/or lower the unit for repair,and you still need the batteries to store the electricity.
 Bio-diesel,don't know much about.There is always waste spills etc.. Then you have hydrogen,hydroelectric,tidal etc..Suffice it to say that everything has some sort of a downside,but that to do nothing but keep on burning oil is ignorant.

Do you have more information on LED's? I would like to make a change to more efficient bulbs, but the one flourescent I have in the garage truly dismays me with it's dismal light. Living in a part of the country which is already gray 9 months out of the year, bright light is very important to me.

I have CFLs at home where they work out, but...

They don't work with electronic timers (learned this by ruining a timer)
They don't fit in our in-cieling fixtures (1940's house)
They are ineffective in "track light" floodlamp units
They are not recommended for outside lighting
If used outside, they don't have "bug light" versions
They hummmmm when used in dimmer-controlled circuits

CFLs are good, but they need to get better. People need to know about their energy and cost savings benefits. But I'm "pro-choice" on the issue of banning incandescent lightbulbs.

Just a couple of things..

CFL's don't work in timers, because the ballasts aren't rated to have the small amount of electricity that the timers give the bulbs.

They may fit in ceiling fixtures, if you can find the right ones, or there is a new option of hard wired fixture replacements, of which there are quite a few really nice selections for.

For the Floodlights/tracklighting you should use the ones that resemble flood lights, they do exist in both the large and small sizes.

They do have indoor/outdoor rated bulbs, just look at the packaging.

There is a bug light version, sadly they are not Energy Star rated, but do save energy.

They are not rated for dimmer switches, for the same reason as the timers, but there are dimmer versions available, they aren't perfect but do work.

The newer bulbs have a higher rating on the CRI index and the Kelvin ratings are closer to a standard incandescent bulb, making their color not so "white" they are closer to that yellow candle color we're used to.  Most bulbs are marked what their Kelvin ratings are, which should be around 2600-2700K.

The mercury contained inside the bulbs, yes is very little compared to what you end up using with incandescent bulbs and the manufacturers are striving with each generation that comes out to use less and less and if you look up the MSDS sheet on the bulbs some state that there is so little mercury the manufacturers are not required to have a MSDS sheet on them.

The flicker issues used to come from the magnetic ballasts, but as most of them have moved to an electronic ballast (flickering more times per second so most people can't pick it up) that has gotten better as well.

Always buy Energy Star bulbs.

No, I don't work for a manufacturer, I work for a utility and we have a large program supporting the use of CFL bulbs, and we have customers that ask these questions all the time.

Thanks.

I've been replacing as many of my lights with CFLs, though living in a developing country I'm not sure the waste disposal is really up to environmental standards. However, I have been trying, but the light does suck, frankly. Too white.

On the other hand, I don't know about the US, but when I was in Britain a couple of weeks ago, I found CFLs in hotel rooms--in lamp fixtures, no less. I say 'found', because it was only through curiosity that I discovered what they were, the light was so much like regular lightbulbs. So how come these lights aren't more widespread? Surely it's just a matter of filters in the glass?

Anyway, I'm not too keen on incandescent lights, as it is--too yellow. Maybe I'm just not fitted to living in the light.

I'm puzzled by Nyx's statement that "CFL's don't work in timers" (because the ballasts require more current). I have been using them with timers for quite a while without problems.  I also use them with electric eyes to turn them on and off automatically, depending on ambient light.  My understanding is that unlike timers, these sensors may reduce the current available to the light, but again, I have had no problems (as long as I use a sensor with a time delay to avoid the "flicker" problem at dawn or dusk, when the ambient lighting is marginal.

It's one thing to dispose of a CFL and the 5mg of mercury leeches into the ground nowhere near anyone lives, but what seems dangerous is having them crack or smash in the home.  There would be 5mg of mercury right there in front of you.

Does anyone know how to clean up a break from a CFL?

Yeah, that mercury bothered me too when I started replacing all my bulbs with CFs.

One has to think back of all the things we were "supposed" to do in the past to save money, get healthier, help the environment...only to find that these things (margarine) were worse than what they replaced.

The average CFL saves about 66 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. Over the life of the bulb, the energy saved is equivalent to 46 gallons of oil.

Amount of mercury vapor in an average CFL: about 5 milligrams

Amount of mercury solid in a typical home fever thermometer: about 500 milligrams

What we've been taught is the ballasts aren't rated to have the small amount of current constantly running in them and it can weaken the ballast and cause it to fail sooner or have other problems.  We also have a note from our fact library that states
"There are 2 types of timers: Mechanical and Electrical. It is important to first identify the type of timer you are using. Most mechanical timers (identified by a rotating dial) are acceptable for CFL lamp operation. Please refer to the timer manufacturer recommendations usually found on the timer label or in the instructions. In general, CFL's are not for use with electronic timers unless specified as such by the timer manufacturer. Again, this information is usually found on the timer label or in the instructions."

I think it's like many things, you have to pay attention to the instructions.

A program on this problem on NPR mentioned that Ikea stores accept CFL bulbs for proper / safe disposal -- or maybe even recycling.