<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><div><div><div><br></div><div>Hi there, greenbuilding friends - </div><div><div><div><div><div><br></div><div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Calibri">As several of you know, I have long been working on Rate It Green (<a href="http://www.rateitgreen.com/">www.rateitgreen.com</a>), a directory information resource, and network intended to help everyone in the green building industry share information and give feedback to manufacturers and service providers. You might also then know it's taken far longer than I'd ever expected to create a strong enough foundation for this resource. </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Calibri"><br></font></div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><div><div><div>I am really happy to say that the "renovated" Rate It Green (www.rateitgreen.com) green building directory, information resource, and network is finally ready for test drives. We just mailed out a request for our registered companies and mailing list friends to check out the site and let us know what they think. I thought I would like to share with this group as well. </div></div></div></div></div></span><div><br></div></div><div>Rate It Green's mission is to help increase the amount of green building information available, to connect those interested in green building, and to help support the industry's further growth. I created Rate It Green after struggling to find the green building information I needed, several years ago. I wanted to learn from people who had already been there and could share some knowledge. I would of course be happy to share what I was learning as well. </div><div><br></div><div>We've long been working on the directory, but it needed some significant updates. We've also been eager to add social features and to make the site easier to navigate. We plan to make a big announcement in the fall when everyone has recovered from vacations and after we have fixed whatever needs fixing, but in the mean time I would very much appreciate it of some friends and colleagues would test the site and send feedback. A few notes:</div><div><br></div><ul><li>All green building products and services are welcome on the site. Rate It Green is a peer review and communications driven resource, so we don't screen entries or have a minimum fee (though we do offer upgrades). We believe that cheerleading is great, but that companies also benefit greatly from constructive feedback. </li><li>There is also no charge for Individual Membership. We want everyone to connect and share, and free is a big part of that. </li><li>We've added profiles to the site to make is easier for people to connect and learn about each other. We've got several categories of information members can choose to keep private or share.</li><li>We've added Discussions, Groups, and Favorites. These features will support our goal of helping green builders connect and share information.</li><li>We now have one master account. An individual can register with the site and then add as many companies within that account as he or she administers.</li><li>Adding and editing information is now easy. Within member dashboards and company accounts, there are clear links and tabs for managing records. </li></ul><div><br></div><div>This is a great time to get involved, as we're really starting again almost from the beginning. This resource will be as strong and insightful as the content people contribute. This also means it's a great time for green builders who can invest some of themselves to have an impact. </div><div><br></div><div>With a new look and added features, Rate It Green will be ready to host infinite conversations and connections, and to act as a bridge between the members of the green building community. We will invite friends over the summer, and we will prepare for a big announcement this fall once we have taken the feedback we receive into consideration. </div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#444444" face="Tahoma" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; "><br></span></font></div><div>Rate It Green is not a replacement for other forms of discussions. I think of the site as a place of highly curated content on the subject. What information do you want to see out there on a specific green building topic that you also want people to be able to find six months or a year from now? Do you have a burning question you think others have too, or can you share an answer that will help someone avoid wasting time, effort and materials? These are the topics and conversations we're hoping to host, and help people find. I have really enjoyed learning from this group, and I hope to support this industry with a resource and tool that can grow strong and give back what people put in. </div><div><br></div><div>Thanks very much. Feedback is always welcome - and requested! </div><div>Allison Friedman</div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">Allison Friedman<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">Rate It Green<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><a href="http://www.rateitgreen.com/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">www.rateitgreen.com</a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 6pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>