A question and answer interview given by Allison Friedman

What is Rate It Green.com? Rate It Green is a user-driven directory, ratings website, and community portal for everyone interested in green building. On the site, members share information through product and service reviews as well as by asking and answering each otherÂ’s questions on The Green Forum. Our team also just completed version 1.0 of Green Building 101, a directory of green building information resources. Our goal is to really get people talking and sharing. Membership on the site is free, as are basic product and service listings. Keeping much of what we do free will help us create the largest green building product and service database so that we can best inform everyone who visits and participates in our community. What gave you the idea to start Rate it Green.com? Several years ago, I could not easily find the information I needed to green my project. I wanted advice from people who had "been there." My frustration was an inspiration, and I determined to make it easier for those that followed. I wasn't initially looking to create Rate It Green - I just wanted to use this kind of a resource! What are the benefits that it offers companies / businesses? We are building the most comprehensive green building product and service directory available, so the first benefit we can offer is exposure to our members and site visitors. And we do not and will not ever charge for basic listings. So really, this is a free marketing opportunity! Companies which have added products and services are then free to ask their clients to offer testimonials in our ratings system. This is really how they can get great feedback as to how the item is received. This is also how they gain exposure to new clients who are looking to purchase green building supplies and services. Rate It Green is a learning community, so there are benefits here as well. Companies can share information and post on the site and employees can create individual accounts and be a part of the community independently. What are the benefits for users of the site? Rate It Green provides users a directory of all of the green building products and services we are researching as well as all of the companies which have registered. Next, these listings will become more robust as companies provide additional detail. So far, about 650 companies have registered. And finally, we can provide a depth of knowledge and experience as our members begin to rate/review items and post actively on our user forums. What are your ideas for the site in the future? We've got so many ideas, and we are always open to suggestions. A jobs board and custom user profiles are on our list. We will expand our capabilities in time, but we know we first have to fill in more content and let more people know we're here.