The fact that your child can sleep only with a light on is not going to dramatically increase your family's carbon footprint-keeping the home lamps burning accounts for only a fraction of your total energy usage. But if every American family switched to energy-efficient lighting in their homes, we'd make a real impact on greenhouse gases-the equivalent of taking 8 million cars off the road. More good news: Thomas Edison would be amazed by the advances being made every day in alternative-lightbulb technology.

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)
Today's CFLs are nothing like the ones on the market just a few years back: The latest bulbs work in most standard fixtures (including tiny nursery lamps and enclosed fixtures), light at the flick of a switch (no more waiting in the dark), and illuminate with warmer (though still not perfectly cozy) tones. Perfect for high-use ambient light, they use two-thirds less energy than an incandescent bulb; last far longer and create less landfill; and, unlike incandescents, they stay cool, which means savings for you and the environment when it comes to air-conditioning. You can even use a dimmer on some CFL bulbs-finally.

The greening manufacturers have significantly reduced the amount of mercury in their CFLs; each bulb now contains about one-hundredth the mercury in an old-fashioned thermometer. Still, you'll need to dispose of them responsibly. The EPA offers state-by-state information on disposal, and your local municipality may also offer recycling options. And to be safe, you might want to save CFLs for overhead fixtures that your kids can't reach.

Look for the Energy Star stamp on bulbs and fixtures. It guarantees that the product meets government standards for efficiency. And check which hardware chains in your area take CFLs for recycling.

LEDs
These little bulbs are the future of energy efficiency. Unlike CFLs, they give off a warm white "daylight" and are omnidirectional, so they're great for task and accent lights. Some of the newest LEDs are compatible with regular fixtures, and are also dimmable. Now, manufacturers are working on creating LEDs that produce light equivalent to that of a 60-watt incandescent bulb. Perhaps the price will come down, too (currently, an LED bulb can cost up to $45). Stay tuned.

The greening The greenest of the green, LEDs last longer, produce less heat, and are more energy-efficient than CFLs. What's more, they contain no mercury (they do contain phosphor-as do glow-in-the-dark toys).

Look for LED bulbs, night lights-from the basic to the light-show version-and fixtures that can happily be co-opted for a kid's room, such as strings of holiday lights, and cylinders that look like colorful, glowing votives (check out the candela lamps at MoMA). Additionally, if you're in the market for a rug, check out Laurene Leon Boym's Baby Zoo Night-Light Rugs.

Incandescents
Incandescents use most of their power to warm the space around them-that's how Easy-Bake Ovens work! This makes them your number one inefficient choice for lighting. A redeeming factor: Unlike CFLs, even the most basic incandescent is compatible with dimmers and other lighting controls, such as devices that switch off the light when your kid forgets to do so.

The greening Newer incandescent fixtures reflect more and trap less light, making them more efficient. The greenest fixtures use tungsten halogen bulbs, which consume somewhat less electricity (and therefore cost less to operate). And some-such as one indie designer's pendants and table lamps made from the orange and red lenses of retired stoplights-can call themselves green because they use recycled materials.

Look for the light switch!

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