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Anonymousthis link will take you to a calculator for constructing LED lamp arrays. You can purchase LED and all the resistors, insulators etc from Goodwill Led Sales on Ebay. They are very helpful cheap and fast delivery. Their phone number is 01793 349349 in the UK at least.
I use LED’s from xmas lights which I salvage from the recycle centre. Ask on Freecycle for any busted sets. The LED’s will be fine. All you will need is a soldering iron which can be 12V, 240V or butane powered, some solder and cable. A battery (3volt) to identify anode from cathode in second hand LED’s and a bit of time.
I have a couple of car lamp LED’s from an ebay site. These are a bit directional and cold white but efficient and fairly cheap. If you are running from mains supply you will need transformers, which need to be DC LED dedicated, but these are readily available at any electrical wholesaler and not particularly expensive.
If you are constructing your own LED lighting, then the addition of some red and some green LEDs will give a better light, but warm white LEDs are available as are superbright.
All flourescent, including CFL should be disposed in hazardous waste through your local recycling centre as they do indeed contain mercury and other chemicals which will be bad if allowed to enter the water table. Mind you my head is full of mercury amalgam so I don’t think I need worry too much about a few CFLs.