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The screw in CFLs are not so great - they are wasteful if nothing else because the transformer circuit is built in and so is predictably cheap and not too reliable. Still I buy them when I can get them for a Dollar or less and they usually last a lot longer than tungsten lamps and they do save some power. But I never leave them on unattended near or over flammable material, because like others have said, sometimes they blow up. And there is the mercury issue that concerns a lot of folks, though I'm not sure it's such a big deal myself.

The fixtures that are built for the plug in "U" shaped compact tubes are much better because they contain a more expensive permanent transformer which is safer and more efficient. I have some of those outside with the built in light sensor switches and five years on they just work. They come on and burn bright even when it's 15 degrees outside (try that with a screw in CFL).

LEDs have potential to turn the lighting industry upside down. They are already the most efficient and portable (in terms of power source) lighting made. The raw material to make them is abundant and to reduce production cost by a factor of 10 or even 5 could be a revolution.

I view LED lighting as a step toward independence, both on a national and individual level. It represents an incremental but measurable reduction in power demand - and a step toward a critical mass that will ultimately make the self powered home a viable option.