In May 2007, Apple CEO Steven P. Jobs, in a open letter promised consumers and environmental watchdog groups alike that Apple would, when economically prudent and technically feasible, eliminate the CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) backlights from all of its LCD computer displays. CCFLs contain mercury and other toxic heavy metals, which, of course, harm the environment.

Naturally, environmental groups cheered. The CCFL's successor, the LED (light emitting diode) backlight contains fewer toxic chemicals and requires less energy to operate. Creative professionals also welcomed the transition: LED backlights, unlike their predecessors, reach their full brightness the minute they turn on. Anyone working in an environment where accurate color matters can appreciate the improvement.

Since May 2007, other manufacturers have also taken steps to transition their products' backlights to LEDs from CCFLs. The LED backlit display has become, for the digerati, the "it" item of the moment, to draw a somewhat unseemly comparison.

At the same time, however, many of the same environmental groups who chastised the consumer electronics industry for using CCFL backlights launched programs to help consumers reduce their environmental impact by switching to funny-looking CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) from their old incandescent lamps.

This makes absolutely no sense.

That the consumer electronics industry has decided to abandon CCFL backlights indicates the LED represents — for its superior efficiency, less severe environmental impact and technical improvements — a superior technology. Also, given that consumer electronics manufacturers, as for-profit entities, would want to minimize costs, their switch to LED backlights signals the LED has some economic advantage over the CCFL as well.

Why, then, do environmental groups continue to push compact fluorescent bulbs rather than the arguably superior LED sort?

Some would argue — and argue correctly — that the price of one LED light bulb far exceeds that of one compact fluorescent. But, just as the compact fluorescent lamp lasts longer than an incandescent lamp, an LED lamp lasts far, far longer a compact fluorescent.

Environmental groups should stop extolling the compact fluorescent now. I can just imagine the headlines in five years: "Compact Fluorescents: Dangerous and Deadly." Or the latest initiative from Greenpeace: "Ditch Your Compact Fluorescents: Go LED!"