Americans tossed out a whopping 5.5 billion pounds of electronics -- TVs, stereos, cell phones, and computers -- in 2005, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The result? Millions of pounds of chemicals and heavy metals ended up in the ground even though it's easier than ever to recycle electronics.

For example, the average American household has three cell phones stashed in a drawer. You can sell your old cell phone to greenphone.com. You'll receive about $35, and the phones will be refurbished and resold.

Another example - If 1 million people recycled one cathode-ray tube TV this year, we'd keep 4 million pounds of lead out of the ground.

The Consumer Electronics Association created mygreenelectronics.org to help you find a recycling resource in your area. The site also provides a list of electronics, from laptops to baby monitors, that are easier on the environment and your energy bill.

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