For those who really like desktops, resist flashy video and audio components if you don't need them. Computers with lots of add-on components are prone to use far more energy. And opt for flat-panel screen monitors, which lack the 5 to 8 pounds of lead found in conventional CRT monitors.

What Else Can I Do?

1. Upgrade an old machine before buying new. A new service at www.upgradedetect.com runs an applet on your machine to determine specific upgrades that will boost your RAM, hard drive and CD or DVD-drive.

2. Shut your computer off when not in use. An estimated 20 percent of computers are left running at night and on weekends.

3. Turn on your "Power management" software, which comes pre-installed in most computers. In addition to cutting energy consumption, power management can improve equipment reliability by reducing waste heat. The EPA recommends you set computers to enter standby or sleep mode after 30 to 60 minutes of inactivity. To save even more, set your monitors to enter sleep mode after 5 to 20 minutes of inactivity. EZ Wizard, available through Energy Star (www.microtech.doe.gov/EnergyStar/ez_wizard.html), can help you enable power management features on your monitor and computer.

4. Dispose of your old one responsibly.

Why It Matters

Computers today are made using over 1,000 toxic chemicals, including many known to cause cancer, reproductive problems, respiratory ailments and other illnesses. Among the biggest offenders are lead, which can cause brain damage in children and is used in circuit boards and solder; mercury, which can cause brain and kidney damage and is used in switches and flat screen monitors; cadmium, a poison to kidneys, also used in circuit boards. While such toxics are of most danger to humans when computers are built and disassembled, others, such as hormone disrupting phthalates and brominated flame retardants used on computer casings, can present health hazards to computer users on a daily basis.