If you're in need of a new computer, consider a laptop over a desktop. Even better, choose one with Energy Star certification. For more information, check out the Home Energy Saver site sponsored by the US Dept. of Energy.
Most laptops go into low-power mode (or sleep) when left inactive, an important feature since the majority of computers are left on 24 hours a day. (Turn off your computer when it's not in use to REALLY save energy.)
SarahC: If folks *really* want to see how computers stack up in "green" terms, they should look at the registry at EPEAT (www.epeat.net) which is maintained by the Green Electronics Council.
There are more than 560 different computer products registered there and rated "Gold", "Silver" or "Bronze" based on their adherence to a very broad range of environmental criteria, from reduction of hazardous substances (cadmium, mercury) to their use of packaging, take back/recycling programs, etc. Power use is important, but not the only factor.
I know of one desktop system that uses only 10W (most desktops use 200W) but it won't be generally available until the Fall. (Full disclosure: I'm doing some consulting work for the company.)
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You can enable hibernation and other power saving features on desktops as well. Simply go to Control Panel / Power Options.
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Yeah, I don't necessarily recommend laptops as a greener alternative. It's true they can use a lot less power, but laptops still cost almost twice as much as comparable desktop systems. If you don't need portability, I'd recommend saving $600 (or more) and going with a desktop machine. You can make that desktop system a lot greener simply by setting aggressive power saving options, like having the machine spin down its hard drives and trip the monitor into low power mode after 5 minutes of disuse, having it suspend after 15 and having it hibernate after 30.
The number one way to save power with a computer is to replace your old CRT with a new LCD monitor. If you're buying a new computer and want to save juice, look for one that doesn't have two built-in DVD drives - you typically only need one. Do get one with a big hard drive. While it's true you can add more drive space later, each drive consumes about the same amount of power regardless of its size, so the fewer drives the better.
If you're not a videogamer, forgo high-end video cards - they consume a lot of power. Go for systems where the video is built into the motherboard - these generally use a lot less juice, and some of them deliver respectable performance even in today's games (even if they aren't bleeding edge).
The iMacs are also very energy efficient - they're partially based off of laptop designs - but their hardware is getting pretty dated. New models are rumored to be coming later this summer - that's an option you may want to consider as well, since Macs will now run Macintosh software as well as Windows.
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