Green Gadget of the Week: Philips LED replacement for 75-watt bulbs

(This is the latest in a regular weekly series of spotlights on green technology that’s accessible to you and me. If you have a product to suggest for coverage, please send a note via my contact email.)

OK, I may be cheating a bit with this post, but from past experience I know that there is some pretty serious interest in energy-efficient light bulbs -- despite attempts in Washington to support regulations encouraging those developments.

So, even though a light bulb isn't strictly a gadget, I thought you might be interested to hear that the first Philips LED replacement for the 75-watt incandescent bulb became available this week at Home Depot. Actually, the bulbs are exclusively available online at a price of $39.97 per bulb.

Here are the vitals on the Philips AmbientLED 17-watt bulb, from Royal Philips Electronics:

Bulb produces 1,100 lumens using 17 watts of electricity, making it one of the brightest LED alternatives to an incandescent bulb
It is designed to use about 80 percent less electricity than traditional bulbs; lifespan is about 25 times longer (which counts when you're looking at the price tag)
The bulb works with existing fixtures and dimmers (hear that honey?)

Past Green Gadgets of the Week: