F.A.Q.s

Q: What is Ideal Bite?
A: Ideal Bite sends out free daily email tips with facts and suggestions about eco-friendly food, travel, products, services and more. For the full scoop, see About Us.

Q: How do I sign up?
A: Easy - enter your name and email address here.

Q: What are your screening criteria for deciding which products and services get "tipped"?
A: So glad you asked! We prefer products and services that offer:

1. Affordable pricing
2. Recycled and recyclable packaging
3. High-end aesthetic (no burlap!)
4. Non-synthetic chemicals when possible
5. Organic and locally-sourced ingredients
6. Online or widespread availability in stores
7. Fair trade materials
8. No ammonia, chlorine bleach, formaldehyde, parabens, phthalates, SLS or other potential toxins
9. No animal testing of any kind (unless you count pet product testing by one of our resident experts, Jen's corgi, Cricket)
10. New / unique / fun eco-lifestyles ideas - we love to give Biters the scoop on the latest and greatest in light green living!

Q: I've got a question about a tip I read. How do I ask a question / get more info on that tip?
A: Your best bet would be to share your question on our blog, where Ideal Bite staff and other Biters discuss points not covered in the day's tip. To post a question or share a comment on the Ideal Bite blog, scroll down to the tip of your choice (they appear most recent, first. Then click "permalink." Scroll down to the bottom of comments, add your name, email address (optional) and comments in the boxes provided. Then hit "post." Voila! You've officially joined the discussion.

Q: What if I've got an idea for a tip I'd like to see covered?
A: Sweet! Send it to submitatip@idealbite.com and we'll put it on our list of tips to consider publishing. Note: We plan our editorial calendar 6 months in advance, so if you don't see the tip right away, don't be discouraged!

Q: Do companies pay to be featured in the Daily Tips?
A: Nope (excepting special tips called the "Green Chip Showcase" - see below for more on those). You can read all about our very strict editorial policy here.

Q: How do you pay the bills?
A: We sell advertising. (See the sponsored ads on the website and in the Daily Tips. We also do a "dedicated email" a few times a month called the Green Chip Showcase, in which a company pays to be featured. The company still has to pass our green criteria screening and the emails are clearly designated as being paid placements.)

Q: Can I send you my eco-product for possible inclusion in a tip?
A: We'd be happy to review your product. Just check out this page for the skinny.

Q: Are there any jobs (including internships) available at Ideal Bite?
A: Wander over to our Careers page, where we post all of our current employment opportunities.

Q: I find the tips to be very America-centric. Are you planning on doing non-US versions of the tips anytime soon?
A: Yep! Check back later this year for international versions of the tips.

Q: I like my tips so much I want to re-publish them on my website or in my newsletter. So can I?
A: Great! Here are our guidelines for syndicating tips online and off:

• ONLINE: Check out our tip widget that updates every single day with the current tip at http://idealbite.com/dailytip/syndication.php.
• OFFLINE: We allow just the LEAD QUESTION and the ANSWER ("The Bite") to be republished when you include our logo (http://idealbite.com/partners/linktous.php or contact us for a higher-res image) and the phrase, "Get a Bigger Bite! Subscribe to the free eco-living tip at IdealBite.com."

Q: I signed up, but haven't received my first email. What gives?
A: Sometimes email programs get confused and think that the Daily Tip is spam. Make sure that the address dailytip@idealbite.com is added to your "safe" or "approved" sender list. You can also check our nifty help page for email delivery. If that still doesn't work, send an email to webmaster@idealbite.com.

Q: How often do you send out the Daily Tips?
A: Ideal Bite sends out tips every weekday except certain holidays when even we need a break.

Q: I'm bummed about the huge amount of spam I get on a daily basis. You guys won't ever sell my email address, right?
We hear ya, loud and clear. That's why Ideal Bite lives and breathes by a very strict privacy policy stating we will never, ever, EVER sell your email address. That is what bad people do. We are good people. Just in case you need affirmation of that fact, check out the privacy policy.

Q: What if I (gasp!) need to unsubscribe?
A: We'll remove your email address from our mailing list, no questions asked. Wait, except for one. Before you go we'd really appreciate a minute more of your time. For the sakes of our planet and our subscribers, please let us know how Ideal Bite can improve. Just respond to this email with a quick answer. Thanks.

Q: Where do I go to find old tips?
A: Check out our Tip Library, where you can search all of our past tips or browse tips by category and date.

Q: What is the Ideal Bite blog?
A: The Ideal Bite blog is a place where the Ideal Bite team posts more about the Daily Tip topic. You, the readers, can blog back using the "comments" feature.

Q: How do I comment on a blog?
A: To share a comment in the Ideal Bite blog, scroll down to the blog entry of your choice and click on its "permalink." At the bottom of the comments, add your name, email address and thoughts in the boxes provided. Click "preview" to see what it looks like, then "post" to add it to the discussion.

Q: What's a Green Chip Showcase (GCS)?
A: By popular demand, we've brought Biters a series of special tips about companies that pass Ideal Bite sustainability criteria. While we are making some "green" for introducing these companies to you, our screening process guarantees that profiled companies are unique in how they're bringing about positive change. The criteria to be featured as a GCS company is as follows:

• No history or future intent of "green washing."
• Corporate Responsibility efforts and performance have improved over the past year.
• Top-level buy-in of social and environmental responsibility beyond CR reports.
• Public disclosure and reporting of CR efforts to stakeholders.
• Willingness to participate in interview; willingness to discuss strengths as well as weaknesses.
• Products are sustainable (organic, non-GMO, paraben-free, recycled packaging, cruelty-free, fair trade materials) wherever possible.

Q: What is the Bite Club?
A: The Bite Club is a not-so-secret club allowing Ideal Bite subscribers to communicate directly with businesses about green products and services. Participants receive freebies and discounts each time they take a survey.

Q: How often will I get a survey?
A: It varies, but you won't receive more than one per month.

Q: How can I advertise with Ideal Bite?
A: Contact sales@idealbite.com. Someone will be in touch soon.

Q: If I become an Ideal Bite sponsor, does that mean I won't be covered in editorial?
A: No. We keep our editorial and sales departments strictly separate, but we write about things we like, meaning that whether you advertise or not won't have an effect on getting tipped.