I tested them (CFLs) and saw that they saved huge on my electricity bill. I save about $300 annually because of them and I don’t have to change them—well ever so far. I really don’t care about the so called environmental impact of them. I think they are wrongly vilified by conservatives and praised by liberals. Sorry to hear about your exposure to mercury and lead! I’m waiting for when LED lights are bright & cheap. Right now they are super expensive and I haven’t been impressed by the light quality.
I saw a program called Hacking History. They said neons are several times more efficient then fluorescent and LEDs and last indefinitely. I don’t know how much they cost, but they sound like an excellent investment.