The petition link below

http://www.petitiononline.com/16mercvp/petition.html

The efficiency of mercury lamps over sodium lamps is noticeable only during nightvision, where the eye recieves shorter blue wavelengths, in which MV is rich, and when the light output is low.
But indeed, with white light, the visibility is better than sodium all the time, even if the light output is much reduced.
Using a thallium iodide (Green MH) lamp for tree lighting, should also result in inactivity of the trees, since the lamp, like clear MV lamps, produces very little in the red and mainly in green.

Mercury is more eficient than HPS in visibility - why ?

HPS give yellow light, which is working mostly with the day vision. To see well in the yellow light, you need certain amount of light

Mercury (and MH) give white light, which is working well with the night vision. With the actual amount of light several times less than the HPS, you'll still see well with the merc at night. This is to the extent that you can suffice with a merc of lower power than the HPS to have the same visibility

Merc vs MH, the difference in efficiency is no longer so large, though the MH is more efficient. However, MH systems drive up maintenance costs way more than mercury systems do. So there are many places where other considerations can by far outweight the consideration of efficiency of merc vs MH. Even ecological considerations - Electric power can be off-grid solar system, while MH lamps still require driving the cherry picker truck for maintenance more than mercs, and sometimes even contain more mercury than mercs

So for each use there is the most suitable lamp, and mercs do have their best uses

It's not like MV is damaging our health now is it?  Why ban it?  If the world would not spend so much effort on the silly stupid things like this we would be so much better off. 

People can save the bulb by signing the petition.

I proudly signed it!  To hell with the ban.  These bans are a move in line with socialism. 

Sorry to curse, but seriously the ban is ridiculous.

This ban is really dumb!!! 

Agreed 

That is why I am going around to all my friends and family and having them sign the petition.

Good idea!!! 

I bet if everyone on LG and gallery of lights signed it, the ban could be over turned
 

I bet if everyone on LG and gallery of lights signed it, the ban could be over turned
 

I guess most of the people here (and GoL) are not US citizens, so it won't have the legal force...

That is actually true. 

Forgive me for my ignorance