Americans represent only 5 percent of the world's population, but produce over 50 percent of the world's trash. The quantity of home appliances discarded each year would easily fill the largest canyons and dwarf the tallest mountains. The blenders, vacuums, toaster ovens, coffeemakers and food processors regularly discarded have reached epic proportions. Our durable goods have become disposable and this has wide reaching negative impact on many facets of society. Ecologically and economically, we are facing disaster.

There is an alternative. Let’s hold on to what we have. As a product is used, sometimes it is damaged or broken. Do not discard! In most cases manufacturers include warranties with their product. Let’s take advantage of that feature. In addition, Foreverstore.com , a new online retailer, offers a forever warranty with all of its products. Foreverstore.com sells name brand household appliances at competitive prices. Included with each product is the guarantee that Foreverstore.com will repair it forever.

Each year households across America discard countless tons of garbage, much of it in the form of small household appliances that they promptly go out and replace. The cost of replacing these items is astronomical. In addition to paying hundreds dollars for new appliances, we are doing irreparable damage to our environment. Our waste stream is overburdened; our raw materials are being depleted and costly energy is being used up. Taking advantage of factory servicing prolongs the life of our appliances, saves money and resources and results in a product that is as good as, or better than new.

Another advantageous environmental and economic practice is the purchase of remanufactured goods. Remanufacturing is the ultimate form of recycling. Remanufacturers receive returned and damaged goods from consumers, retailers and the original manufacturer. The method of remanufacturing is to separate the entire product to its individual parts and components. All parts are cleaned and inspected and defective parts are repaired or replaced. The product is reassembled and tested. Remanufacturing is the most efficient and effective way to save resources, whether energy or materials, of any form of recycling.

As unlikely as it may seem, remanufactured products are BETTER than their original cousins and this is where the reality of remanufacturing separates it from the consumer myth of a remanufactured product. Ray Jonaitis, Sr. VP of Operations at PRC Industries, a major Product Remanufacturer, gives the example that in the case of one major floor care manufacturer, the rejection rate is significantly low. He states, “We have processed hundreds of thousands of vacuums and the rejection rate is 3% as compared to 5%-7% for the original manufacturer.” He goes on to explain, “The reason for this is very simple; part conformity is insured through multiple inspections and, in most cases, exceed the original factory standards.”

According to “Remanufacturing: The next great opportunity for boosting US productivity,” an article on the value of reusing our products, “The estimated savings in raw materials is equally compelling – the materials saved would fill 155,000 railway cars in a train spanning 1,100 miles.”

Online sites, like Foreverstore.com , sell remanufactured products along with brand new products. Each comes with the forever warranty and promotes economically and environmentally conscientious practices. It is time we thought twice before discarding our used appliances and looked at our alternatives.