[Avodah] Lighting one less candle in an halachic way

[Moshe Feldman]

Green groups are urging us to light one less candle each day of Chanukah.

Why couldn't we do this halachically by eliminating a regular shamash
and instead use a small electric bulb?  (We would light with a regular
candle and then extinguish it.  Because I always use oil, I always use
a wax candle to light and then extinguish it.)  The point of the bulb
is that we not be ne'he'neh solely from Chanukah candles; the shamash
is not an integral part of the mitzvah and presumably does not have to
fulfill all the halachos of neiros Chanukah.  Or, do we say that the
minhag is to use davka a candle which can be used to fulfill the
mitvzah of neiros Chanukah.

BTW, technically, couldn't one shamash suffice for multiple menorahs?

Chanukah sameach and Shabbat Shalom.
Moshe