 What is a ripple?
A ripple (or ripple effect) is created when you join One Buck for the Planet and people you know join your ripple. Each of your friends who join will tell their friends who will continue to spread the word about this easy way to help the planet. Telling just one friend has the potential to reach millions of others. All the dollars raised are a result of your willingness to take action to make a difference. >more |
How do I grow my ripple?
You grow your ripple by convincing all the people you know to join your ripple and then do the same. You can also grow your ripple by adding our special banners and links to your Facebook, MySpace, blogs, and other personal websites, webgroups, and web pages. You can also buy memberships for your friends if they have not joined 14 days after you invite them (see question below). |
Can I contribute more than US$1?
What we really need our members to do is spread the word! Each friend that joins your ripple adds up. If you're willing to support the planet beyond one U.S. dollar and convincing everyone you know to join, you can also buy memberships for people in the "Pending People" section of your ripple (located in your profile by clicking on "Grow/View" next to "Your Ripple [Your friends]") if they have still not joined after 14 days of your initial invitation email. This is a way to donate more and help us reach our goal of uniting 1 billion people. If you still want to contribute more, we have a donate button located in the "About" tab (thanks!). |
How do I join someone else's ripple?
Here are a few options.
1) Visit One Buck for the Planet by clicking the "Ripple" link in an email invitation sent to you by a friend, then join. You will be prompted to agree to the joining of this friend's ripple during the join process.
2) Search for your friend's email address or member ID in the "People" tab. Join their ripple by clicking on the green "Join My Ripple" or "Join Our Ripple" button at the top of their profile.
3) When you join (if our Multi-Level Giving Software doesn't recognize your email address), you'll be prompted to enter the email address or member ID of the person's ripple you'd like to join. |
Can I challenge another person or company to a ripple race?
Absolutely!
You can create your own ripple race and challenge any member you know to show how green they really are. Who can be first to reach a total ripple amount of US$5000? Or the first to earn a 3-star eco-Ranking (this puts the emphasis on a member's individual actions). Maybe you'd like to get departments of the company you work for involved. This will require a contest coordinator... how about you? Keep in mind, every member is assigned a unique member number when they join. Once your challenge is underway, you can find out who's winning by typing each participant's member number into the search area in the "People" tab, or from within the "Joined People" section of your ripple which you can access by clicking on "Grow/View" in your profile ( must be logged in). |
What support does One Buck for the Planet most need from me?
Telling all the people you know, and convincing them to join and do the same, is crucial to our goal of uniting 1 billion people. We'll help you do this by providing a unique invitation tool as well as special banners, links, and other electronic marketing files located in your ripple (located in your profile by clicking on "Grow/View" next to "Your Ripple [Your friends]"). Buying memberships for friends you have invited (but haven't joined after 14 days of your invite) also makes a huge difference and guarantees that they are part of your ripple. |
How does the Multi-Level Giving Software work?
To understand how this software works, >click here. |
Why is One Buck for the Planet only asking for US$1?
This is our business model. We made the decision to make giving as low-cost as possible. We're focusing on building critical mass instead of asking for a higher membership cost that could result in fewer people being able to participate. Almost everyone has a buck! |
Who can join my ripple?
Anyone who is not part of someone else's ripple can join your ripple (individuals or businesses).
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How do I buy a membership for a friend?
First, invite your friend and see them show up in the "Pending Friends" section of your ripple in your profile. After 14 days have passed (giving your friend a chance to join on their own), a green tag will appear, allowing you to buy their membership for them. There is no limit to how many memberships you can buy for others. When you do purchase their membership, you guarantee they're part of your Ripple. |
Can I support a cause not on your list?
Right now, you can only choose one of the One Buck for the Planet.org-approved causes. We're currently working hard to add more. |
When do One Buck for the Planet.org causes get paid?
Membership dollars collected from Jan 1st - June 30th are paid on July 25th. Membership dollars collected from July 1st - Dec 31st are paid on Jan 25th. Other details apply. |
Can I join as an individual and a business member?
You can join as both an individual and business member but must use different email addresses to do so. Just remember, your friends and family can only join one ripple so take this into consideration when sending invitations. |
Can I switch from an individual membership to a business membership (or vice versa) once I have joined?
Sorry, this cannot be done. But you can join again using a different email. |
Can I contact (or be contacted by) other members?
It is not possible to contact other members, even if they are part of your ripple. As a member, you cannot be contacted by other members as well. If this feature is ever offered, it will be a member-approved offering and will have options that give you 100 percent control of your contact information. |
Can I change whose ripple I belong to?
Sorry, this cannot be changed. |
Can I remove someone from my ripple?
In some rare instances, we will allow a member to be removed from a ripple. This must be requested by email and can take up to five weeks if approved by One Buck for the Planet administration. |
Once I invite a friend, can they still join another member's ripple?
Your friends may be invited by multiple members. But it's up to them to decide which ripple they join. They can only join one ripple. So, do your best to convince them to join yours or be sure to buy their membership (see question above) 14 days after you invite them to guarantee that they are part of your ripple. |
My total ripple dollar amount has changed, what has happened?
If your ripple has increased, friends of your friends are joining, and friends of theirs are joining, and so on. If your ripple has decreased, it could be that active people down the line of your giving network have joined the wrong ripple by mistake and were corrected by administration. In some instances, members may have been removed for breaking the One Buck for the Planet Terms of Use Policies. |
What does the message "This email has joined" in my Pending Friends mean?
People that you invite can be invited by multiple members and it is up to them to decide whose ripple they join. If you see this message, there are a few options that may have happened. 1) They arrived at One Buck for the Planet outside of your special link and used a different email than the one you invited them with. If this has occurred, you can ask them to visit your profile and click on the green "Join My Ripple" or "Join Our Ripple" button located at the top of each profile. 2) They have joined another member's ripple instead. The best bet is to ask them which they have done. |
Why is adding a photo and completing my profile so important?
When you add a photo and share a bit about yourself, you become a real person to the rest of the world. This inspires many others to join. Also, if you are inviting all the people you know, your photo ensures they know who you are. |
How do I get my cause added to your list?
Just join as a business member (US$1 - we'll link your listing to your profile) and then email us all your important contact information. We'll review your information and if there's a match, we'll add you to our causes list and contact you with a confirmation and/or request for additional information. Be sure to include a specific person as a contact with a non-generic email address (kept completely private) so we're replying to the proper email address. (This will be an automated feature soon.) |
I can't see the "Join My Ripple" or "Join Our Ripple" button my friend keeps telling me I need to click on... why?
If you do not see this button at the top of another member's profile, you already belong to someone else's ripple. All members are required to approve whose ripple they join and are notified that their decision "CANNOT be changed later." Once you are part of someone else's ripple, these links will no longer be visible to you and you should see this symbol  next to your joined date on your profile which shows you whose ripple you belong to. |
How do I see which member's ripple I belong to or which ripple a friend belongs to?
Look for this symbol next to the joined date in the top right of either yours or another member's profile. If you don't see this then you do not belong to someone else's ripple and are to free to join one. |
What percentage of my US$1 actually goes to my chosen cause?
A minimum of US$.50 of each US$1 will be sent to the cause you select when you join. Our PayPal processing averages US$0.33 for each transaction and like all nonprofit organizations, One Buck for the Planet has operational costs as well. We believe in total transparency and we will post a detailed chart that provides you with this valuable information once we've existed for a few calendar quarters. |
