Fluorescents are not only one of the most efficient options around, offering the longest-life bulb, they come in a variety of colors, types and sizes. Best of all, with the new electronic ballasts, they are quiet.
Fluorescent lights are phosphor-coated glass tubes filled with an inert gas and a small amount of mercury. Because different brands can have different mixes of gases inside, fluorescents produce a wide assortment of color light that match the warm glow of incandescents.