Brightness is measured in lumens; the higher the lumens, the brighter the bulb. Color rendering index (CRI) is a measurement on a scale of 0-100 of how accurately the light from a bulb represents an object's true colors; the higher the number, the more natural the colors appear. Any CRI value over 80 will show colors true to life. Bulbs with a warm light appearance have yellow tones. Bulbs with a neutral light appearance are often used in workspaces. Bulbs with a cool or daylight appearance have white/blue tones and are good for inspecting. A bulb’s estimated yearly cost is based on 3 hours of usage per day at $0.11 per kWh.

Fluorescent bulbs are energy efficient, but they contain small amounts of mercury (for disposal information, visit www.epa.gov/cfl). Plastic-coated glass bulbs are shatter resistant; the coating retains glass shards if they break.

Bulbs that cannot be sold to the areas listed exceed local regulatory limits on mercury and/or do not meet local efficiency standards.

Replace existing fluorescent light bulbs that have recessed contacts or upgrade them to LED. Select a light appearance to match your existing lighting. Bulbs with more than one light appearance have a switch so you can match other lights in the room.

LED bulbs last longer and are more efficient than fluorescent bulbs. To install these bulbs, bypass the ballast by wiring the socket directly to the power source. Use them in fixtures with double-ended wiring, where the power is wired to both sockets.

Plastic-coated glass bulbs are shatter resistant. If the glass breaks, the coating keeps shards from falling.

Brightness is measured in lumens; the higher the lumens, the brighter the bulb.