3 On Your Side: Make Things Last Longer
(CBS) -- Americans throw out 251 million tons of garbage every year, including everything from wasted food to electronics--about 1,600 pounds per person! 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan has advice so that you can throw out less and save more.
U.S. homes throw out 2 billion cartons of milk every year, but it doesn't have to be that way. The best place to keep your milk containers is in the back of your refrigerator. Properly stored milk can last a week past its sell-by date.
When it comes to eggs, nearly 2 billion pounds are dumped. Don't put them put in the egg holder on the side door. They will last longer if you keep them in the original carton and place them in the coldest part of your refrigerator.
It may seem strange, but some fruits, like apples, give off a gas that can actually make some veggies, like broccoli, go bad. So you want to separate them in your refrigerator crispers to make them last longer.
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Do you want your razors to last longer? Remember to dry them off after every use, and don't store them in the shower.
Americans throw out 280 billion tires a year, so keep them pumped up! Since under-inflated tires won't last as long, AAA Mid-Atlantic's John Ryder says, "You're not going to get the 40,000 miles they call for on some tires; you're not going to get the 60,000 miles. You're going to be replacing them early, needlessly."
Finally, when it comes to extending the life of your jeans, washing isn't the answer. Levi's has been making jeans for 150 years, and they say you shouldn't wash your new jeans for up to six months, and then only once every two weeks. Levi's also says you shouldn't put jeans in the dryer. Instead, hang them upside down to preserve their length, shape and color. The company recommends spot cleaning if you have to, or using an odor-eliminating spray, like Febreze, if you're concerned that they're getting a little smelly.
Reported by Jim Donovan, CBS 3
