ABOUT RATE IT GREEN:

Rate It Green is an online community for people interested in finding and sharing the best in green building and design products and services. The company aims to facilitate an open marketplace where everyone can shop for and buy green products confidently. The site features a green building product and service directory and user-driven Green Ratings system as well as The Green Forum where members can share their thoughts and ask questions about a variety of green products, services, and related topics. Our hope is that Rate It Green will help newcomers and experts alike discover new products and learn the pros and cons about existing materials and services from those who have actually worked with and used them.

     Meet the Rate It Green Management Team.

     Have a question? Contact us by clicking here.

Joining Rate It Green as a community member is free of charge. Members will simply fill out a registration survey as well as periodic updates to help us learn more about the green buying community. We will also include all green businesses in our ratings system database free of charge to provide the most accurate and comprehensive information for our members. We strongly encourage all Rate It Green users to register with Rate It Green and to renew key pieces of information with us on a regular basis.  As an online community, we are committed to growing the green building market through shared resources and information.  Information about the community of individuals and companies that form the market for green building products is an important resource we can leverage to help grow the marketplace.  The more users share about their characteristics and participation in that market, the more robust our community can be and the more we can conduct quality research.  Those who do not wish to register are welcome to browse all public areas of the site, but they cannot post ratings/reviews or forum entries.  There may also be some areas of the site that we determine are more appropriately restricted to members, such as member profiles in which people will choose how much information they wish to keep private and how much to share with other community members.  Rate It Green members are able to maintain complete privacy on the site if they wish.

WHAT QUESTIONS DO RATE IT GREEN MEMBERS WANT TO EXPLORE?

Rate It Green members appreciate and are excited by great design and exceptional products. We also share a concern about the health of our planet. Current building trends in energy and resource consumption are simply not sustainable. We believe that we can and should do better. Questions our members want to explore include:

In sum, what do people shopping for more sustainable products need to know? And, how can we each do our part to increase the momentum of the green building movement, as well as help manufacturers and service providers know what they can do better?

WHAT FEATURES AND SERVICES DOES RATE IT GREEN OFFER?

Currently, Rate It Green offers the following features:  

• Green Ratings:   A directory and user-driven ratings site where members will be able to rate sustainable products and services as trade professionals, homeowners, or members of the nonprofit green resource community. 
• The Green Products Forum:   An open forum where members can offer advice, information, and comments on a range of green building products and topics. 
• Basics:  Introductory information about green building.
• Green Links:   Links to top green building and related sites.

Rate It Green will add features and services as budgeting and time permits.  During the next 12 months, the company plans to add the following features:

• Rate It Green Referrals:  A classified section where members can post projects they need vendors for or skills they are able to offer.
• Green Product News and Information:   Special features and information about new developments in the green building and design industry.
• FAQ’s:   Answers to frequently posted questions.
• The Rate It Green Job Board:   Listings of green building professional opportunities.

HOW DID RATE IT GREEN GET STARTED?

Rate It Green is still very much getting started, but we will answer this one anyway. Rate It Green grew out of the frustration of trying to green our own projects and our own lives, really. Information was hard to find, and it seemed we could only take the manufacturer's word for it on products, or not. In some cases, this worked out just fine. We found some wonderful recycled glass tile and fun denim insulation, and responsibly farmed wood cabinets. In others, we were left with products that we felt clearly did not live up to what we felt was promised. And we realized that few people could afford to be experts in everything. One colleague might have spent tons of time researching efficient toilets and appliances, but she was desperate for countertop information, and she was running out of time. Another person just wanted to know which paint was "really" the best. Without more comprehensive information about the product, the user's needs, and the intended use, these can be hard questions to answer honestly. We realized quickly that we could help ourselves, or friends, and everyone more if we could pool resources. And an online community seemed like a great way to do this. We also committed to creating a resource that was not restricted to trade or experts. Rate It Green is about both giving and receiving, and we are very excited about this notion of getting everyone with a passion for green together in the same virtual place.

Disclaimer – (Beta Status!)

One big disclaimer – The Rate It Green site is in a pilot/beta stage.  While we perfect the site, we are happy to work with those kind lead users and companies who are able to download what they know to help and teach others and who want to be a part of Rate It green as our community grows.  And we appreciate greatly everyone who has reached out to us and offered words of support for what we are up to.  However, you may need to be a bit patient with the system.  We can say confidently that any opinions, products and services posted or entered during this time will remain in the system regardless of programming or graphics changes to come. 

Our team has pre-loaded 500 products and services in the site as what we call temporary listings.  These are basic entries that show limited information such as a product or service name and the company’s address.  It was important to our founding team to let companies speak for their own products and services and control their own marketing information.  We are pleased to report that 100 companies have either registered and filled out more information to complete these listings or have just added their products or services to the database with a full listing.  All of these listings will help members greatly when it is time to launch the full site.  

Rate It Green will address the primary challenges this summer, in addition to other activities:

1.     Review and revise the member registration survey.

2.     Integrate the Forum better with the rest of the site.

3.       Create new optional user profiles where members will determine how much information to share.

Our team anticipates perfecting the first phase of Rate It Green for September 1^st, 2007.  Please feel welcome to send any comments or suggestions during this time.  We listen!

WHO CAN I GO TO FOR CUSTOMER OR TECH SUPPORT?

The quickest way to get help or provide feedback is most often through the Rate It Green contact form. But we realize it often feels more helpful to have the name of a human being you can reach out to. Please feel free to direct inquiries as follows:

WHY DO I HAVE TO FILL OUT A SURVEY, AND WHAT IF I PREFER NOT TO COMPLETE IT?

The Rate It Green membership survey is designed to capture important statistical information we believe will assist us in serving our members as well as provide important research for understanding the green building market.  Some of this information we plan to share with members and others within the green community.  We may also share or sell aggregate industry data (not personal or confidential information) or produce reports or research based on this data.

Some things to keep in mind as you decide whether or not to register:

1. Full membership is free of charge.
2. The membership survey is designed to capture important statistical information we believe will assist us in serving our members as well as provide important research for understanding and expanding the green building market.
3. The information we collect through registering provides a resource for Rate It Green.  It is our commitment to keep this site free of charge to members.
4. We estimate that the registration survey will take most people approximately ten minutes, depending on your level of green experience.  If you hae significant green building experience, the survey may take longer.  You may also share more with Rate It Green and/or your fellow registered members through the site's optional personal profiles.  You control your Rate It Green identity, including how much information you do and do not wish to share.
5. If you decide not to register, you can still view ratings and forum posts, but you may not post or rate until you register.  You will also not have access to selected areas of the site which are for registered members only.

Together we can make better design and purchasing decisions. We invite you to join our community and help us all buy green products and services more confidently. Thank you for your interest in Rate It Green.  Are you interested in exploring Sponsorship or Marketing opportunities with Rate It Green? Contact us at marketing@rateitgreen.com or call Allison Friedman at (617) 686-8977.