[PCMag.com]
Global warming is caused by emissions of carbon dioxide, which trap
heat so it can't escape the atmosphere. Although cars, factories and
power plants do most of the damage, the computer
is at least partly to blame. A PC uses 200 to 400 watts, depending on
its configuration and use. By comparison, a refrigerator uses about 725
watts, but a DVD player uses only 25 watts, and your TV is right around
100 watts. A high-performance gaming rig with a powerful graphics card,
multiple hard drives and optical drives, a flash memory reader, and a
30-inch LCD might consume as much as 750 watts! Leave such a beast
running constantly and you might see an extra $40 to $50 on your
monthly electrical bill. Ouch.
Yet PC energy consumption
is only part of the problem. The manufacturing process for computer
parts also has an effect. The typical computer these days contains
significant amounts of lead, which is used in soldering motherboards, processors,
and other parts. Since the average lifespan of a PC is just three
years—according to the EPA—the toxic effects of disposal are quite
high.
In Europe, regulations for lead-free computing
such as RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and WEEE (Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment), are designed to reduce the
effects of hazardous waste. Yet many U.S. PC makers have all but
ignored the problem.
That's
where you can help. Building a green PC means you can be part of the
solution by using all lead-free parts that are also more
energy-efficient. Continued...
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