Anyone that hasn't used a remote control, camera, iPod, laptop, watch, or cell phone in the last 24 hours please raise your hand. Not raising your hand, are you? We'll give you one guess to tell us what all of these items have in common. That's right: batteries.

Batteries are made up of an interesting, and many times toxic, mix of materials and heavy metals. And, as Earth 911 tells us, "Batteries that end up in landfills and incinerators eventually leak into the environment and end up in the food chain, causing serious health risks to humans and animals."

So, umm, we don't want that. There are now several resources that tell consumers where to drop-off batteries to be disposed of, and recycled properly. Just type in your zip code to find your closest drop-off location. Or, if you're more of a phone person and want to talk to "Al" from Home Improvement call 1 (800) 8-BATTERY. Yes, that's too many digits, and yes, it works.

Rebecca says: Batteries run out at random times, and you don't need to make an individual trip to the recycling center each time that happens. Save a pickle jar (I recommend washing it first) to keep your batteries in until you drop them off.

Earth 911 Battery Recycling

Call2Recycle