Computer aren't green enough. This isn't some comment about the latest iMac but something far more important - it's about our environment.
Although they can be recycled, extracting bits from defunct computers is time-consuming and expensive.
This means about 1.5 million old PCs in the UK each year end their lives as landfill, which is dirty and dangerous when you consider the average monitor contains between 4lb and 8lb of lead and processors contain other toxic materials, such as cadmium and mercury.
Landfill disposal will become illegal with the introduction of tough legislation in 2005.
The Department of Trade and Industry says the new laws could cost industry £3 billion and increase the cost of computers to consumers, so hitting companies struggling to sell PCs.
But the changes should improve our environment and help bridge the so-called digital divide.
An ageing 486 PC might not be much use to your business but it could make a file-server or email gateway for schools, here or overseas.
Tony Roberts, director of Computer Aid International, which is calling on companies and organisations to donate their redundant PCs to worthwhile projects, says: "End-of-life PCs are worthless to most companies but invaluable to school children.
"Companies have written down the value of their redundant computers to nil and all they see is a headache in getting rid of the old kit.
"We can take care of the headaches while at the same time ensuring the PCs go to very good causes."
Before you donate a computer you must, of course, make sure none of your personal data is still on it and uninstall any added software.
The easiest way to do this is by deleting everything and reinstalling the operating system but many third parties will do this anyway and some, like UK Computer Recycling, will even pick-up the equipment from most UK addresses, free of charge.
At the very least you should speak to your local authority or Business Link to find recyclers in your area. It might not be the most fashionable colour but, in this context, green is definitely good.
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