137 : Do it your self

I like changing my room lights, assembling furniture "hence the love for IKEA" etc,,,  and I've been using the Compact fluorescent lamps for a while now, I must say their lifetime is amazing! However I read recently that they are not safe IF broken...

"As effective as it is at enabling white light, however, mercury—sometimes called quicksilver—is also highly toxic. It is especially harmful to the brains of both fetuses and children. That's why officials have curtailed or banned its use in applications from thermometers to automotive and thermostat switches. (A single thermostat switch, still common in many homes, may contain 3,000 milligrams (0.1 ounce) of mercury, or as much as 600 compact fluorescents.)

The problem comes when a bulb breaks. Mercury escapes as vapor that can be inhaled and as a fine powder that can settle into carpet and other textiles. At least one case of mercury poisoning has been linked to fluorescents: A 1987 article in Pediatrics describes a 23-month-old who suffered weight loss and severe rashes after a carton of eight-foot (2.4-meter) tubular bulbs broke in a play area." Full Article link.

I'm a bit alarmed and considering not using them, although I do like their lighting. An other alternatie is to use a light that has a cover where the light bulb will be contained inside it, however this option might reduce the light sharpness! Anyhow, currently am trying to change them every 6 months or so, but this is the first time I try the brand above, not sure what the penguin is doing in it :p