Computing has changed the world - a great example is the Internet. It's hard to imagine life without either of them.

While computer usage can actually lessen our environmental footprint, for example, being able to work from home or control of farm irrigation and many other tasks, the energy consumption i
nvolved with casual computing and gaming generally is massive.

There's not just the actual computer usage related electricity consumption, there is also all the millions of tons of plastic and metal used to create the billions of computers in their various forms now on this planet.

We can all do our bit in lessening our impact of computer usage on the environment. Here are some of the tips for more environment-friendly computing, some of which will also save you cash!
• When not in use for long periods, switch off your computer.
• Have your power saving/management options enabled and properly configured for periods when your computer is temporarily not in use.
• During usage, only have your screen as bright as you need it - unnecessarily bright screens really chew the juice
• If you're going to use a screen saver, use a blank (black) screen - animated screen savers consume more electricity.
• When buying components and peripherals, try to choose those that comes with least amount of plastic packaging.
• For your next computer, consider a notebook instead of desktop - these use under 50% the electricity of a desktop machine
• If you can afford it, buy extended warranty with your new system so there's less likelihood of you needing to junk the computer within the first few years if an expensive repair is needed.
• When considering your next screen purchase, balance your wants with your actual needs. Prefer using a small-sized screen.
• Before purchasing a new computer, consider upgrading the hardware in your current machine. Some extra RAM (memory) or a new hard drive may be all you need to restore life to your current system.
• Similarly it is not uncommon for Windows to get slower as time goes on. This isn't necessarily your machine, but software bloat. All the updates, installing and uninstalling of software, applications running in the background that you don't really need take their toll and basically clog your machine up; seriously impacting on performance, which in turn is more wear and tear on hardware and increase electricity consumption. Consider doing a reinstallation of Windows and your software. A lean machine will sip less electricity and perform much better.
• When you do replace your current computer system, donate it rather than throw it away, if possible.
• Consider refurbished computers for your next purchase. These aren't dusty old machines that have just been wiped over; often they are display models or recent purchase returns with very little wear and tear that are thoroughly checked before sale, and often have the same guarantee that new units do. You can save a ton of cash this way!

e-waste is now the fastest growing aspect of the municipal waste stream. It is high time to take proper measures to reduce computer wastes and use computers in a green way.