Energy Star CFL Bulb from LAMPS PLUSPopular Mechanics magazine reports on how to keep your CFL bulbs working at their peak performance level. One interesting idea: leave them running. "The more continuous the use of a bulb, the longer it’ll burn because the most damage to the components is done during starts," says Russ Leslie, associate director of the Lighting Research Center." Read more: When CFLs Fail: How to Keep Your Compact Fluorescent Glowing.