Make the perfect laptop greener

InfoWorld’s proposed WorldBooks could set a higher standard for green computing

I’ve got to hand it to InfoWorld Chief Technologist Tom Yager: He’s come up with very slick, innovative designs for two laptops, the InfoWorld WorldBook Ether and Meteor. He says the machines could theoretically be built and shipped within the year — if hardware vendors had the gumption to do so.

To his credit, Tom did include some green features in his dream laptops. For example, they’re Energy Star 4.0-compliant; they’ve got mercury-free LED backlights and arsenic-free glass, and the displays employ GreenZone technology which “dramatically reduces power by reducing the lighted display area.” Moreover, they’ve got an embedded solar panel, energy-efficient lithium ion polymer batteries, and optional Energy Star-rated chargers.

Still, I’d like to propose a couple of changes to the laptop blueprints he’s put forth. There’s potential to make these machines greener in ways that will benefit the environment and human health while potentially saving buyers some money and headaches down the road.

[For more in the benefits of green features, please read “Are green IT premiums worth the cost?”]

1. Comply with Energy Star 5.0. Tom specifies that these machines would be Energy Star 4.0 compliant, which means (among other things) they’d come equipped with 80-percent efficient power supplies units (PSUs). I say raise the bar, Tom: Shoot for Energy Star 5.0, which is expected to go into effect in July of 2009. Though it’s not yet complete, the spec will likely require a minimum PSU efficiency of 85 percent at 50 percent rated output and 82 percent at 20 percent and 100 percent of rated output. Notably, Dell has already unveiled a PSU that the company says will comply with Energy Star 5.0.

Why does this matter? Well, for starters, more energy-efficient PSUs mean less energy waste. That saves on power bills, of course. Moreover, government agencies, along with companies that have strict CSR (corporate social responsibility) requirements, will want to adopt Energy Star 5.0-compliant machines as soon as the standard goes into effect (if not sooner).

2. Use fewer hazardous materials. The InfoWorld WorldBooks should surpasses the provisions of the EU’s RoHS (Restrictions on the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive: They should meet all the required and optional criteria pertaining to the use of environmentally sensitive materials set forth by EPEAT (the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool). That includes the elimination of intentionally added cadmium, mercury, lead, hexavalent chromium, and certain dangerous flame retardants. Additionally, the systems’ large plastic parts are free of PVC.

Why’s this important? Consider all the electronic waste that ends up improperly recycled and tossed in landfills. Thanks to hazardous materials in those machines, they pose a both a health risk and environmental threat. Reducing the amount of toxic materials in the machines is a great way to demonstrate eco-responsibility — plus it puts hardware vendors ahead of the game when stricter versions of RoHS emerge.

[For more on the EPEAT rating system, please read “MacBook Air vs. ThinkPad x300: Which is greener?”]

3. Build for reuse. Drawing from the EPEAT criteria, the InfoWorld WorldBooks should also be designed for easy disassembly and recycling at the end of their lives. They should contain a reduced number of plastic material types; their molded or glued-in metals parts should either be eliminated or easily removable; at least 90 percent of their parts should be reusable or recyclable; and all the plastic parts (aside from the tiny ones) should be clearly identified by material type and be easy to remove.

These eco-friendly features are significant. They mean that hardware vendors can disassemble machines more quickly and efficiently and reuse parts for building new machines. That’s good for the environment, as well as the bottom line.

4. Design for extended life. Once again drawing from EPEAT, these dream laptops should be built to last. Among other things, that entails constructing the systems in a modular fashion such that their major component and processor can be upgraded or replaced using common tools. Moreover, the vendor would have to agree to make spare, replacement, or new parts available for a minimum of five years.

5. Add power management software as an option. The InfoWorld WorldBooks feature includes a nifty tool for adding options to your system so you could see how, say, adding more storage or NVRAM would affect the price. I’d add to the list an option for the machines to come bundled with PC power-management software from companies such as Verdiem or 1E.

For various reasons, users leave their machines on overnight and on weekends, and that can result in costly energy waste. Making PC power management software available could encourage organizations buying these laptops in bulk to tackle the problem, which can result in significant costs savings and environmental benefits by reducing wasted electricity.

[For more about PC power management software, please read “When PCs don’t snooze, you lose.”]

6. Add optional print-management software. No matter how much we like trees, we still need to print out documents on occasion. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy or convenient to print only what you need. Thus, you might end up printing a five-page, full-color, single-sided document with graphics when you really only needed the first two pages in black and white, double-sided and sans images. Thus, I’d love to see the WorldBooks ship, optionally, with print-management software such as one of the flavors of GreenPrint — World (which is free), Home Premium, and Enterprise. The software lets users preview a document before printing and easily select with simple clicks which pages not to print. Users also can opt to exclude images or text from a printing, which can save on all-too-expensive ink.

What green features would you like to see included in the next laptop you purchase?

Ted Samson is a senior analyst for the InfoWorld Test Center and author of the InfoWorld Sustainable IT blog. Subscribe to his free weekly Green Tech newsletter here.