DALLAS (November 16, 2009)— Half Price Books is offering a two-for-one this holiday season: a unique and affordable gift that benefits the environment.

To tie–in with the bookseller's holiday campaign, which features fun and fresh polar bear graphics, Half Price Books is offering limited-edition polar bear-themed tote bags and holiday note cards, the sales of which will benefit World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The tote bags, made from recycled water bottles, retail for $1.98 and the note cards (8 cards per set), which feature four designs printed on 100 percent post-consumer waste recycled paper, retail for $4.98. WWF will receive $1 from the sale of each tote and card pack. Learn more at worldwildlife.org.

There are fewer than 25,000 polar bears left in the wild and climate change is a serious threat to their survival. As part of its global conservation mission, WWF is providing vital funding to field research by the world's foremost experts to find out how it will affect polar bears and other threatened and endangered species.

"While the tote bags are a great gift, funding WWF will help protect endangered species, such as polar bears, and their habitats," said Kathy Doyle Thomas, executive vice president of Half Price Books.

Thomas also offers a few tips for shoppers, including encouraging them to use tote bags and other reusable items to "wrap" gifts this year, forgoing traditional wrapping paper that ends up in the landfill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans generate an additional 1 million tons of household waste over the average between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. That is a 25 percent spike in waste—from the standard 4 million tons to 5 million—that occurs every year. "If we can get each of our customers to give just one gift in a tote bag instead of using paper, it will make a tremendous impact on the paper waste going into the garbage this year," Thomas said. "Our employees will be offering this tip to our customers."

"B(eco)me Wild" is an extension of the Half Price Books "B(eco)me" campaign launched in 2007 to encompass the company's many environmental efforts. In 2008 Half Price began its B(eco)me Bagless effort to educate customers on the benefits of reducing plastic bag use. In the first six months of the campaign, Half Price Books customers refused more than 1 million one-use bags. The quantities of the polar bear items are limited and will be available at www.halfpricebooks.com and in all 106 Half Price Books stores on November 27, the day after Thanksgiving.

Click here to see the limited-edition tote bag and holiday card graphics, or contact Half Price Books to receive a graphic in another format.

Half Price Books is the largest family-owned new and used bookstore chain, with 106 retail locations in 16 states. Stores are open seven days a week and buy and sell new and used books, magazines, comics, records, CDs, DVDs and collectible items. Half Price Books has been dedicated to environmental and literacy efforts for more than 35 years by supporting hundreds of projects including the annual Half Pint Library Book Drive, which provides hospitals, clinics and pediatric centers nationwide with book donations collected at all store locations. In addition, Half Price Books is a founding contributor to Laura Bush's National Book Festival, as well as a supporter of the National Center for Family Literacy and Feed the Children. For more information about Half Price Books, please visit www.halfpricebooks.com

WWF is the world's leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of over 1.2 million members in the U.S. and almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.