If it's relatively new and you don't want to toss it, perhaps it's of a size that you can use in another room?
I can't suggest laying any type of hard flooring over carpet. There is always the possibilty that the carpet under the flooring could mildew and then it's a really bad mess.
We had re-carpeted my room with the intention of it being a bedroom. We decided to make the master bedroom a different room, and shortly after that I started sewing and hubby "gave" me the bedroom as a sewing room. So I live in a sewing room with newer wall-to-wall carpet. I'm very careful with pins, I know if I drop one and I'll search for it. I too can't see wasting perfectly good carpet. When the carpet is no longer nice, and if I still have the house, well then I'll think about putting a hard flooring down.