Aha, after my previous senior moment, the stuff in fluorescent lights is mercury. Although the level of mercury in them has been reduced over the years, apparently it is still not technically feasible to eliminate the mercury entirely and the mercury levels affect the longevity of the lights. The higher the mercury per lamp, the longer the lifespan of the bulb. Which may explain my experience with them.

If one is really serious about reducing power consumption and pollution regarding lighting, skip fluorescent bulbs and go directly to white LEDs for task lighting. The amount of electricity required to run them is infinitesimal by comparison and they last way, way longer. I've been using a headlamp I constructed using 5 LEDs, for chores outside every night for the past three years or so. No problem with any of the LEDs and I still haven't changed the batteries.