Environmental effects of the computer age

This article reviews the effects of the computer age on our environment. Although the usefulness of computer technology is inarguably an asset in today´s world, the environmental implications are not yet fully understood by the majority of computer users. The subjects discussed in this article fall in three general areas: the direct effects of computers on the computer user and the workplace (ergonomics and telecommuting); the effects of the use of computers on the environment (consumption of electrical energy and solid waste disposal); and the environmental hazards of producing computers