TheApple

 Students' spirits are usually bright at the start of the new college school year, but there's one inevitable burden that always interrupts the joyous occasion: having to buy textbooks. However, an environmentally conscious book-rental service is not only lightening the financial load, but also greening the earth.

With textbook prices constantly increasing – the U.S. Government Accountability Office says that since 1980, they've risen at twice the inflation rate – Chegg.com, the nation’s leading textbook-rental service, has become relevant for its cost-effectiveness. Students can rent textbooks and return them at the end of the semester, and save up to 85 percent off the retail price.

Not only is renting better for the environment (since it reuses the books), but Chegg plants a tree for each textbook rental. Through American Forests' Green ReLeafprogram, the company has planted more than 850 acres of trees. Getting your books through them, then, equals common sense you don’t even need Econ 101 for.

To rent, please go to the link below:

http://www.chegg.com/

In Slovenian schools we practice a so called Text-Book fund. It means that the scool buys a certain number of books ( according to the number of students) and they are in use for three years. A student only has to pay for the rent ( usually 1/3rd of the actual price of the book) at the beginning of each year.

Okay - I still think this is a great idea, mostly because of the eco-friendly nature, but I was a bit surprised at how high the rental prices are. Some are more expensive than used books! And when you can resell any of the texts that you actually buy, renting may not sound like all that great of a deal. And, like teacher__411 notes, college texts make excellent teaching resources. I'll still pass the info on, though....