October 2nd, 2009

From Green Right Now Reports

Chegg.com, the online textbook rental site, has been helping the environment by planting a tree for every book rented, sold or bought this tear. The company announced today that it has reached more than one million trees planted in 2009 through a partnership with the American Forests’ Global ReLeaf program.

Chegg is celebrating the milestone by having its one-millionth renter, Jarrett Crisp, a junior from Hill College in Burleson, Texas, plant the tree at a wildfire restoration project in the Tahoe National Forest near South Lake Tahoe, Calif., next spring.

By some estimates, more than 20 million trees are cut each year to make new books, so Chegg has built a brand that encourages students to help replenish and protect the environment by renting, reusing and recycling their textbooks. Since 2007 when the partnership with American Forests began, Chegg has planted more than 3,000 acres of forests.

“On average, a student will use one tree’s worth of paper in textbooks each year, so it’s been important for Chegg to give back to the environment by planting trees through American Forests,” Aayush Phumbhra, co-founder and senior vice president of operations at Chegg, said in a statement.  “This incredible milestone could not have been possible if it weren’t for the amazing college students across the country choosing Chegg to rent their textbooks.  We look forward to celebrating our next million trees!”

Chegg is currently the largest tree-planting partner of the American Forests Global ReLeaf program, which helps individuals, organizations and corporations improve the local and global environment. The trees are planted to restore forest ecosystems damaged by natural and man-made disasters. To date, trees planted by Chegg on behalf of students have improved the land in Guatemala, Cameroon and Lake Tahoe.