1.  Why is Brandy Bridges removing every compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) from her home just months after installing them? Be specific.

2.  Why are broken CFLs dangerous to humans, according to a fact sheet on fluorescent bulbs published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?

3.  What would the fluorescent-only legislation (HR 1547) require? Click here for the text of the legislation currently being considered.

4.  Re-read para. 11-15.  Do you think that it is better for power plants to:
a) produce more energy and emit more mercury to run an incandescent bulb that isn't in itself harmful to humans
or b) to use less energy and emit less mercury to run mercury containing CFL bulbs that would be used in every American household? 
Explain your answer.

5.  View the fact sheet on mercury in CFLs at nema.org/lamprecycle/epafactsheet-cfl.pdf. How should people dispose of CFLs when they burn out?

6.  What responsibility do congressmen supporting the law baning the sale of regular incandescent light bulbs in favor of fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) have to the public to explain the potential dangers associated with the mercury contained in the CFLs?  Explain your answer.

FOR DISCUSSION:  If CFLs are eventually the only bulbs sold, what will happen at garbage dumps when tens of thousands of mercury containing bulbs are discarded in plastic bags?  Will this be a problem, or will people dispose of their burnt out CFLs at recycling centers?  How will the mercury be disposed of there?  How much will it cost to operate the recycling centers?  Will this cause an increase in taxes to pay for the recycling center operation, in effect eliminating any savings to consumers who use the energy saving CFLs?  Does the mercury currently being released from burning fossil fuels at power plants cause harm to the people living around the plant?  Would the reduced amount of mercury being released change the effect on the people living around the plant?