Helping the environment by preserving and recycling resources is part of our daily business. At Half Price Books we feel that everyone can help preserve the environment. Trees recycle water, oxygen and carbon dioxide. This helps to reduce soil erosion, air pollution and flooding. Recycling paper also helps the environment by saving energy and water, as less energy and water is used by reprocessing already processed paper, rather than virgin pulp.
World consumption of paper has grown 400% in the last 40 years. And 35% of the total trees cut around the world are used in paper industries on every continent. Tree farms provide 16% of all wood used in the paper industry, while the bulk comes from second growth forests. However, 9% of paper still comes from old growth.
Although more trees are being planted than cut down, the trees planted in tree farms cannot provide the plant diversity and animal habitat found in natural forests. Harvard biologist and Pulitzer Prize winner E.O. Wilson estimated that plantations contain 90-95% fewer species than the forest that preceded it. Paper recycling is one way to help reduce the industry pressure to convert our remaining natural forests into tree farms and protect wildlife habitats.
Half Price Books does its part each day to help reduce the demand for pulpwood. And consequently, this reduces the number of natural ecologically-complex forests being destroyed, as well as reduces the amount of energy and water consumed to produce paper (between 28-70%). In addition, by reusing, recycling, and reselling resources, Half Price Books helps keep books out of landfills. And our stores actively participate in Earth Day each spring. HPB co-founder Ken Gjemre was quoted saying, "Books should fill our lives, not our land."
Things we believe no one should waste: paper, knowledge, trees, words, time, and money. Half Price Books is the book recycler. We buy books you've already enjoyed. So if you have more books than shelves, bring yours to us today. We pay the most for recent best sellers and collectibles. But we're also interested in your children's books, mysteries, music, movies and games. We donate all our overstock inventory to nonprofit agencies around the world.
So let's work together and help save our Mother Earth. When you visit Half Price Books, you'll save trees, books, and of course, money. We are committed to the community and preserving our environment. We operate every day based on the convictions of our founders to waste not and read a lot. Every day is earth day at Half Price Books.
Bagless Customer Heather said, "I love your 'Go Bagless' idea. Most stores don't do anything like this. It makes me happy that y'all give back when we as customers choose to refuse a plastic bag. I bought one of your bags (who can pass up 98 cents when most bags like that are $7 or more?), and then went back for 2 more. I use them everywhere. They are really strong and one of your bags holds what 3 or 4 plastic grocery bags will hold..." [ read more bagless stories ]
