Kiwibox Community

Last summer, two college students set out on a journey that proved you can never be too young or too inexperienced to make a huge impact. Matthew Cortina, a senior and double major in English and Journalism at Rutgers University, and Grant Gardner, a graduate of Virginia Tech and current employee of Warner Music Group, were sitting in a coffee shop one day in Flemington, New Jersey when an idea sparked in them. The plan, planting one million trees while biking across the country, seemed like the perfect way to be active and at the same time, motivate a generation. Cortina said, "The main premise was to inspire people our age to do things they normally wouldn't do."

With the help of communities, schools and organizations, the two rode across 56 towns beginning in Virginia, ending in Oregon and planted over 3.5 million trees. In 2007, Cortina and Gardner founded a non-profit organization, Planting America Inc., aimed to fund the large environmental projects. As the word spread about the trip, major media outlets reached out to them including The Martha Stewart Show. Cortina recalls that being the most monumental moment in the project, "In one night, the night after The Martha Stewart Show aired, we went from 30,000 to over 2 million seeds. The support we got was insane."

The Planting America project did not stop after the summer of 2008. Matt and Grant are putting a book together to document the trip and still have funds left to donate. They also plan to resurrect the seed process in which volunteers request free seeds to plant in their community funded by Planting America Inc. "The Planting America project doesn't have an end and as long as people continue to hear about it, our goal is continued to be met," said Cortina.

Though Matt Cortina and Grant Gardner weren't hardcore environmentalists or cyclists, the two set a nearly impossible goal and achieved it. "The most important message that people should take is that if you want to do something, especially if it's philanthropic, you can do it in America. You don't need much besides patience and diligence and you can make it happen," Cortina said. Cortina also stressed how vital it is that young people be active in today's society. "Being active in the community as a young person directly benefits you. The effort you put in as a young person will follow you wherever you go," Cortina said.