Electronics recycling initiatives are gaining momentum across the country as more Americans realize that it can be a key to building a greener future. At the Cargill Earth Day event in Colorado, one community recently managed to properly dispose of 1,000 pounds of varied electronics, according to The Fort Morgan Times.

Residents and companies got together to get rid of old televisions, computer monitors, DVD players, cell phones, printers and other devices at a single collection site. Each gadget will be carefully dismantled and each component will be sorted.

Those who chose to participate in the event were given rewards for their efforts. Local waste management workers stood at the site handing out bottles of water, frisbees, battery recycling kits and fluorescent light bulbs.

Other communities are coming together to improve their own electronics recycling movements. In Jackson, Tennessee, there will be a Reduce E-Waste day on April 30. People who choose to donate their items will be assisted by volunteers, so the process is quick and efficient.

The Jackson Sun reports that Tennessee is in particular need of more ways to properly recycle electronics - The Tennessee Department of Health and Environment has recently said that "electronic scrap or e-scrap is the fastest growing segment of Tennessee's solid waste stream."

Some states, like South Carolina, are taking the recycling initiative a step farther - on July 1, residents will be required by law to e-cycle all of their old electronics. This includes computers, printers and televisions. Two dozen states have similar regulations in place, according to ECyclesc.com.

E-Cycle St. Louis states that many electronics have a high lead content that proves hard to break down in traditional garbage disposals. This component, along with others, may even seep into local water supplies. Consumer electronics make up 40 percent of the lead in landfills.