If you can possibly afford more RAM, I'd advise it - 512 is the minimum for Windows at the moment, and in a year or so, it's going to start to feel painfully slow (applications grow to fill all available RAM, and developers are already starting to assume that most machines have at least a gig).

As for non-coal charging, I can't really help, but you've reminded me about something: please tell me all about fair trade tea (I'm asking you because I remember you posting about it a bit in the past) and where I can get it!