Wal-Mart's bright idea.

• Position: Wal-Mart Stores Inc. - Brief article

Fluorescent light bulbs Last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, El use 75 percent less energy, produce fewer greenhouse gases from power plants, and save $30 over the life of each bulb. They also cost more, give off harsher light, contain mercury (a potential pollutant), and look weird. As a result, almost nobody uses them at home. Wal-Mart hopes to change this with a marketing campaign to get the bulbs into 100 million U.S. homes by 2008. While this could save Americans $3 billion on their electric bills, critics say increased sales of the Asian-made bulbs could eliminate some U.S. jobs.

INCANDESCENT FLUORESCENT Energy used...