FL lights no longer offer just a dim flicker. Yes they are the green choice to normal light bulbs, but they can also be interesting and are a favourite of contemporary designers. So why are they a good ecological alternative, and what’s so hip about them?

Every electrician will tell you that fluorescent lights tend to last four to ten times as long as incandescent (filament) light bulbs and use around 20% of the power. The trouble with normal light bulbs is that 95% of the power they use is lost through heat and merely 5% is in fact utilized to light up a room.

Despite the fact that fluorescent bulbs are more costly to buy at first, they will save you cash in the long run, typically paying for themselves in under a year. And they fit in most existing light fixtures, so you won’t even call for an electrician to change your fittings.

An additional direct ecological advantage is that since the light bulbs last so much longer they create less waste for landfill as fewer are being tossed away every year. And once you’re fitting them and doing your part, you may even feel so green and environmentally conscious that you take your responsibilities further and turn lights off when they’re not being utilized.

When you do need to throw away fluorescent light bulbs then try and do so responsibly. Unlike normal light bulbs, they contain a small quantity of mercury which is environmentally harmful if they are binned, so ask your local committee about recycling facilities for light bulbs and do your part to keep them out of landfill.

Now for the fun part! Fluorescent lights are wonderful if you want to create a colour wash on the wall or against curtains. They may be recessed so that the glow seems to come magically from a concealed supply and if the light shines against a reflective facade, you can create a thoroughly spectacular effect. You can also talk to your electrician about installing more than one fluorescent tube so that you have a option of colours at your fingertips.

FL lights of course occur in white but also four fundamental colours – red, yellow, green and blue. If not any of these agree with your plan, you could put a white light following a coloured filter of your choice or even get coloured theatrical lighting gel which can be applied to the bulb to achieve the effect you’re after. There are even companies that sell bulbs already coated, offering a range of colours if you can’t face doing it yourself.

If you’re putting together a lighting plan bear in mind that fluorescent white light tends to appear cool rather than warm. FL bulbs can be integrated into a dimmer plan when of course they become less bright, but they won’t make a warm glow like a filament bulb. As well as being put onto dimmers your electrician could go one step further and incorporate them into a system of pre-set scenes to make numerous mood choices for your room.

The fact is that in 2007 the US Administration announced that incandescent light bulbs are to be barred by 2011, which ought to help save around 5 million tons of CO2 by US household users alone. So it makes sense to get ready now for this new age in lighting. Light bulbs in the US are now graded A-G for ecological effectiveness, so it’s easy to pick ones that do less damage and that will save you cash in the mid and long term. And it doesn’t mean living in gloom – fluorescent lights have come a long way since their flickering early stages.