Photo credit to Evenlynishere's Flickr Photostream

In a way, batteries make the world go 'round. They power our cell phones, MP3 players, laptops, watches, portable game systems, flashlights, electric toothbrushes, and cars. They allow us to bring our favorite things with us where ever we go (well, not so much me, considering I prefer books to cell phones and paper books to the Kindle), but if we don't dispose of them properly, they could affect us more negatively than you'd think.

Single-use batteries, though not the mercury-laden monsters of pre-1997, still contain trace amounts of toxic chemicals that can be released into landfills, the water, or into the air via incineration. (Not to mention that they also contain potentially recyclable metals, such as iron, zinc, and cadmium!) But the Energizers in your remote aren't the worst of it- the rechargeable batteries in your cell phone, MP3 player, and laptop are much, much worse. Rechargeable batteries contain even higher levels of toxic compounds and, on top of that, are prone to exploding when under heat, releasing more of the chemicals packed away within them. Let's just say that one place batteries certainly do not belong is in the trash!

So make a commitment to recycling your batteries- even and especially the ones in your electronic items- and have your friends join you! For places to recycle reusable batteries, go to http://earth911.com/hazardous/rechargeable-batteries/ and look at the box on the right side that says “Find a Recycling Location.” For single-use batteries, go to http://earth911.com/hazardous/single-use-batteries/.