Emissions of carbon dioxide help to trap heat within the Earths atmosphere that would normally be released into space. The result of this increased heat is called Global Warming if you are of the liberal persuasion and Dramatic Climate Change if you are conservative. The end result is the same; The Earth will continue to heat up where it should be cold, and cool off where it should be warm. This will be a mild inconvenience to most where it was warm, but the coldest areas such as the poles of the planet will see bigger change in the form of dumping massive amounts of ice into the ocean that will change the face of the planet. Computers are part of this larger problem.
Power plants, cars and factories lead the charge in changing the global environment, as do air conditioners, coal pits and all of the usual suspects. The computer as it is now is a part of the problem. A personal computer can use between 150 and 600 watts of power, which isnt much compared to the damage of a coal pit but is a great deal more than a television or a CD player. A high end computer if left on constantly can add over $50 per month on an electric bill, and send hundreds of pounds of CO2 into the...