The World Wildlife Federation has joined with a group of computing heavyweights to tackle energy efficiency. The Climate Savers Computing Initiative features members Intel, Google, Microsoft, HP, and IBM, who promise to surpass the EPA's Energy Star goals in making computers use less power.

The group says it will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tons annually.

Many of the same groups are also part of the Green Grid initiative that addresses the energy efficiency of computer servers and data centers.

Reducing the power demand of computing equipment, electronics devices and appliances is the low-hanging fruit of curbing emissions that has the direct benefit of saving consumers and companies money. I haven't heard much about cutting the power of lighting and commercial signs, an area where there is considerable waste.