Earth Day: How safe are CFL bulbs?

So are you switching off lights this Earth Day to save precious resources?If your excuse is you use CFL bulbs at home instead of the usual filament ones, you might be doing something for the environment but harming yourself in the bargain. A recent study says that energy saving bulbs and lamps contain cancer-causing elements in them.And you thought only shampoos were bad.I've heard of shampoos containing carcinogens and that eating one potato is as good as smoking a cigarette, but hold on — there's more. If you use a spring mattress, you're at greater risk of getting cancer in this lifetime, says another study.Back to lumpy cotton mattresses, folks.Jokes aside, what are you doing this Earth Day for our planet? We have our annual freecycle fair, some of our colleagues have planted saplings, Bangalore's trying to do away with throwaway plastic for good, among many other things.