I learned an important fact a couple of days ago. I can't throw my funky energy-efficient lightbulbs I recently bought at Target to help keep my electric bill down can't simply be thrown away in 12 years when they burn out. There's mercury in them! How did I not know this? Because the packaging didn't tell me.

Now I sort of feel misled. Not that I have a problem with recycling these special bulbs -- which you can do at a Home Depot I'm sure -- I just don't like to be left in the dark (no pun intended).

Had I not read this article in the Portland Press Herald I probably would have thrown toxic mercury into the trash and ruined the lives of local children and pregnant women. How nice.