Thanks for pointing out once again that whatever we propose, whatever we try, however we attempt to do SOMETHING, dueling enviroloons will complain about something. The best way to phase out coal fired power plants would be nuclear power plants. Oh...but the anti-nuke crowd complains.... Wind turbines work great....but the PETA people gripe about them killing birds and up in Massachusettes, their visual blight has stopped their deployment. They're not pretty... Tidal vane generators are working in Europe, but up in Long Island Sound, people are protesting their installation because of the unknown impact on fish.... Now, while most voices are touting the benefits of compact fluorescent bulbs, you're worried about their mercury content. You people are not going to be happy until we are all freezing to death in caves, because we dare not chop down a tree for firewood. BTW, Cassandra, sleep peacefully. They actually contain very, very small amounts of mercury. From the government website: CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing – an average of 5 milligrams – about the amount that would cover the tip of a ballpoint pen. By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury. It would take 100 CFLs to equal that amount.