Toshiba Makes it Easy to be Green and Cheap

Maybe Apple can get away with only selling relatively expensive, but oh-so-nice laptop computers (its cheapest is $999). PC makers, however, are in the unenviable position of trying to stand out from a swollen crowd of manufacturers making a Windows-controlled commodity and must play hardball at the low end. And there is no real "green" option for the conscientious buyer at the low end.

Well, Toshiba feels your pain -- at least its marketing department wants you to think so. Its Satellite line of portable computers have been cleaned up to reflect consumer demands for a greener computer, and they're nearly half the cost of  shiny new MacBook. But what does "green" mean beyond the conference rooms of Madison Avenue? Let's let Toshiba explain:

All new Toshiba laptops are RoHS-compatible, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances. In addition, all of Toshiba’s new laptops are boxed in packing made of 90 percent recyclable materials.

The company also offers a trade-in and recycling program that is free for existing Toshiba customers, which is not unique. And to take the feel-good vibe down a notch, so-called "recycled" computers often are dumped in Chinese landfills where they pollute surrounding villages. Out of site, out of mind (but this is an industry-wide problem, so it wouldn't be fair to lay blame at the feet of Toshiba).

The entry-level Toshiba Satellite model, the L Series, costs $549 and includes a power-saving dashboard that allows users to monitor and adjust the energy-consumption of their machine. So now green computing is not just for the white-collar set.