National Recycling Day is November 15, so charitable organizations, local governments and private individuals alike are hosting a number of recycling events leading up to the day. One example of this is in New Haven, Connecticut, where the town has partnered with the company WeRecycle to host a statewide e-waste recycling contest. Every town in Connecticut will get a chance to participate in the program, and the winner will be decided when National Recycling Day rolls around in early November, according to ConnecticutPlus.com.

"As we strive towards creating a healthier environment, it is important that we work together," New Haven Mayor John DeStefano told the news source.

Towns across Connecticut will have the chance to recycle many old electronics, such as VCRs, DVD players, cable boxes, camcorders, game consoles, cell phones and anything else that can be taken out of the waste stream. The city that collects the most recyclables will receive a $3,000 scholarship for one of its residents, and its choice of a transfer station makeover or a bevy of new electronics. There are a number of consolation prizes and smaller gifts for the most successful recycling centers in the state.

Not only will this initiative help to remove tons of these materials from local landfills, but it is also a boost for local recycling centers and their overall profit margins. Recycling has become a huge business in the United States, but oftentimes it takes large scale programs such as this to get more people involved. Hopefully in the future it will take more than National Recycling Day for individuals to realize how many used electronics they have lying around and they can find a viable means of disposing of them and doing their part to create a sustainable community.