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Plant a Tree | The Details | How Tree Gifts Work | Plant in Bulk | Tell Friends |
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)Mokugift Basic 1. What happens when I plant a tree for a friend as a gift? A tree is planted in a tropical country of your choosing that is experiencing deforestation: Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Burundi, Senegal, Zambia, India, Philippines or Haiti. Your friend receives an email with a link to open their gift. Clicking on the link presents a tree-planting animation and your gift message. Your friend also learns about the United Nations Environment Programme's Billion Tree Campaign, and can find out more about where his/her tree is planted. The whole experience is meant to inspire your friend to plant a tree for the next friend. Your friend also receives a mokugift.com Web page, or "Tree Island," displaying a virtual representation of their tree. Adding the page's URL to an email signature is one of several ways of sharing the experience of tree planting via mokugift. As the sender of the tree, you're notified when your friend opens the gift and sees your gift message. The number of trees you planted for your friend is added to the "Trees Planted" counter that appears on your Tree Island page and mokugift widget. The widget is an online icon that can easily be added to a blog or social networking site. 2. What happens if I simply plant a tree instead of gifting a tree to a friend? A real tree is planted in a tropical country of your choosing. If this is your first mokugift tree purchase, you receive a Web page, or Tree Island, displaying a virtual representation of your tree along with a password that lets you log-in to mokugift.com and view your transaction history. You can add your Tree Island URL to your email signature or send the link to friends. The number of trees you planted is automatically added to your "Trees Planted" counter, which appears on your Tree Island page, and your mokugift widget. Your "Trees Received" counter also increases by the same amount. 3. How do I share the tree-planting inspiration with friends and earn free trees? Sharing the inspiration with your friends and associates is as important as planting a tree yourself. Your actions help us reach our collective goal of planting seven billion trees. To celebrate the friends that join you, for the first tree that each of your inspired friends plants, you receive a free tree. Watch as mokugift tracks how friends become inspired to join with you and the United Nations Environment Programme in helping to fight climate change and restore tree cover to depleted lands. You receive credit not only for the trees you've planted (either for yourself or as gifts for friends) but also for those planted by your friends and their inspired friends (3 degrees). You can see the total number of people you inspired and the total number of trees planted by them. These achievements are shown on your Tree Island page and your mokugift widget. You can also see which friends you have inspired and their individual achievements. For every 10 trees planted by people inspired by you (3 degrees of friends), you'll get a free tree. There are various ways to share the tree-planting inspiration with friends online:
Mokugift tracks the friends you inspire via these online tools and your Tree Island page. The first person to inspire an individual to plant their first tree is the person who earns the free tree. 4. What is a UNEP Registered Advocate/Champion/Hero and how do I become one? A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Registered Advocate is a title given to someone who has either planted a mokugift tree themselves or inspired another person to plant a tree. This is the first step in supporting the UNEP's Billion Tree Campaign via mokugift. A UNEP Registered Champion is someone whose actions have resulted in planting 20 trees—a major achievement in supporting the Billion Tree Campaign via mokugift. These are trees a person has planted themselves and/or inspired others to plant via mokugift. A UNEP Registered Hero Blogger is the title reserved for someone whose online efforts inspire more than 100 tree plantings. 5. How do I choose the country where the tree is planted? Mokugift displays trees representing different continents. By clicking on a tree, you'll see a list of countries within the continent and have the option of exploring further by clicking on one or more of those countries. 6. What if I can't decide which country to plant my tree in? After choosing a tree that represents a continent, click on "pick a country for me" and mokugift will select the country that is the furthest behind in its target number of trees needed. 7. How much do trees cost? Trees are $1 each, and can be purchased with a credit or debit card via Amazon's secure online payment system. Or you can buy them with moku-coins. Sometimes mokugift runs limited-time promotions for larger purchases of trees. 8. What are moku-coins? Moku-coins are a convenient form of currency for buying trees. Purchasing trees with moku-coins saves time, because you don't need to hassle with entering your credit card information for each new transaction. You can buy moku-coins here. 9. What is a Tree Island? A Tree Island is a Web page displaying a visual representation of your trees. It takes the form of an island, so we called it a Tree Island. It shows the number of trees you've planted as well as the number of people you've inspired and the number of trees planted by them. It also allows you to keep track of which friends you've inspired and their achievements. You can add your Tree Island to your profile on other sites where you can paste code, such as Facebook and MySpace. Fun fact: "moku" means tree in Japanese and island in Hawaiian. 10. How do I get my own Tree Island? When you plant a tree for a friend or plant a tree yourself, you automatically receive a Tree Island on mokugift.com. Likewise, if you receive your first tree via mokugift as a gift from a friend, a Tree Island is automatically established for you. Or receive a Tree Island simply by registering here—you don't even have to plant a tree. 11. How do I get a tree? There are three ways to get a tree:
12. Can I buy a tree for myself? Yes, you can simply plant a tree here. In step 3, choose the "not a gift" (simply plant) option. The tree will be displayed on your Tree Island and mokugift widget. 13. Do I need to have a Tree Island to plant a tree for a friend? No, but when you do plant a tree for a friend for the first time, we automatically create a Tree Island for you. 14. Do I need to get a Tree Island to receive trees? No, but when you do receive your first tree, we automatically create a Tree Island for you. Also, if you have a Tree Island and your friends become aware of it via social networks or email, it's much easier for them to plant trees for you. 15. Can I add my mokugift Tree Island and trees to my Facebook profile? Yes. You can do that by accessing our Facebook app: http://apps.facebook.com/mokugift. If you already have a mokugift.com account, then you can merge it with your Facebook mokugift account to show your trees on Facebook. After adding the mokugift Facebook application, go to the "mokugift account" page on Facebook and find the Merge Another Existing Account link. 16. Can I add my Tree Island to my MySpace profile or other popular Web sites? Yes, you can paste our code (from your Tree Island page) onto your MySpace profile or any other site that lets you paste code. These include Hi5, Bebo, Friendster, Tagged, Orkut, Live Spaces, iGoogle, Blogger, Vox, LiveJournal, Typepad, Xanga, BlackPlanet, MiGente, myYearbook, Piczo, Multiply, Pageflakes, Netvibes, Wordpress and Freewebs. 17. Can I add my Tree Island to my blog? Yes, you can choose between pasting a full Tree Island or a mokugift badge that is small enough for most sidebars. 18. What happens to the Tree Island when it fills up with trees? The Tree Island counter will always show the total number of trees planted. However, a Tree Island cannot graphically show more than 25 trees. 19. Does my friend have to have a Tree Island in order to receive my tree gift? No, but we will automatically create one for them we he or she receives the gift. 20. I'm sure that I inspired a specific friend to plant trees on mokugift, but he/she does not appear on the list of people I inspired and I didn't earn a free tree. Why? Your friend was first informed about mokugift through another friend. The first person to tell someone about mokugift is considered to be the person that inspired that someone to plant a tree. Customization 21. How do I upload my profile photo? Log in, go to My Account and click on Upload Profile Photo. 22. I have multiple email addresses, and I received tree gifts via each of them. How can I put all my trees on one Tree Island? Simply to log in, then go to My Account and click on Edit User Profile. You can then add a new email address. 23. How do I opt-out of marketing emails? It's easy. Please log in and click on the My Account link. Next, click on "edit" beside User Info. Then, when you see "Would like to receive emails on news & updates?" click "no." About Tree Planting 24. How can mokugift plant a real tree for just $1? Tree planting is done in large volumes by our tree-planting partners. The process starts with germination of seeds and the planting of seedlings. We don't plant adult trees because that doesn't benefit the environment; it only wastes fuel to change the location of a tree. When a customer purchases a mokugift tree for $1, a portion of that money goes to fund mokugift's operating costs and expansion. The portion that's sent to our tree-planting partners is enough to cover the cost of planting and caring for one tree. Although we could have priced the trees higher, our goal is to get everyone involved. At $1 per tree, it costs less than buying a cup of Starbucks coffee. Indeed, virtually everyone with Internet access can afford to plant a mokugift tree. For many, this can be a first step to a more sustainable lifestyle. 25. How do I know that mokugift planted a tree in the real world? Trust is earned. Mokugift worked hard to earn the trust of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and become an official partner of UNEP. UNEP is part of the same organization (the United Nations) responsible for the World Health Organization and UNICEF, both highly regarded and trusted organizations. Mokugift works with award-winning agroforestry nonprofits, Sustainable Harvest International and Trees For The Future, to plant the actual trees. Both organizations have earned numerous accolades for implementing programs that restore tree cover to depleted lands and boost the agricultural productivity and incomes of indigenous peoples in some of the poorest parts of the world. They are experts at what they do, and fully support the efforts of mokugift. Awards won by Trees For The Future:
Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) consistently rates 4 stars from Charity Navigator. In 2008, Charity Navigator recognized SHI as one of the 10 Best Managed Environmental Nonprofits. "Only 10% of charities rated have received at least 3 consecutive 4-star evaluations, meaning that Sustainable Harvest International outperforms most charities in America in its efforts to operate in the most fiscally responsible way possible. This 'exceptional' designation differentiates SHI from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust."~ Trent Stamp, President of Charity Navigator Additional awards for SHI:
TFTF and SHI specialize in agroforestry, an integrated approach to sustainable land management that empowers communities to restore tree cover to lands that have been degraded by logging and slash-and-burn farming. Along with resources such as seeds, materials for nurseries and irrigation equipment, participants in TFTF and SHI programs receive extensive on-site training and long-term technical assistance. The economic benefits of agroforestry projects stay within the community, providing cash necessary for water-purification projects, school supplies and other initiatives while also helping preserve indigenous cultures by reducing the need for people to leave home to find work. Other benefits range from improved health through better nutrition and reduced contact with toxic agrochemicals to the conservation and regeneration of biodiversity and protection from storms. (Forests, by acting as buffers, can greatly reduce the threat posed by hurricanes in countries such as Haiti.) Mokugift has invested considerable time and effort researching agroforestry and prospective tree-planting partners. We believe our success is contingent on the integrity of these partners and the effectiveness of their programs. We chose to partner with TFTF and SHI because these organizations, in addition to having built sterling reputations within the environmental community, share our fundamental belief that planting trees not only benefits the environment (by absorbing greenhouse gas emissions) but also can serve as a foundation for sustainable economic development for indigenous communities that have been adversely affected by poor land-management practices. To learn more about agroforestry, click here. Note to eco-volunteers and eco-tourists: TFTF and SHI offer tours of villages receiving agroforestry assistance. You can sign up with them directly. A week-long tour costs around $2,500, excluding airfare to the country. What better way to understand the impact of tree-planting and agroforestry programs in participating communities, than to go there yourself and participate? 26. Where did mokugift plant my tree? Mokugift trees are planted in Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Burundi, Senegal, Zambia, India, Philippines and Haiti. You can see a map here. As a sender/purchaser, you can choose where your tree gets planted. If you want mokugift to decide, we'll choose the country that is the farthest behind in its target number of trees needed. 27. What kind of tree species does mokugift plant? Agroforestry techniques are tailored to the needs of the community using ecologically appropriate tree species. Species planted include Cocoa, Coffee, Banana, Orange, Cedar, Teak, Mahogany, Oak, Acacia, Eucalyptus, Laurel and Leucaena. Indigenous species are not always best suited to arrest soil erosion and rejuvenate depleted lands. Sometimes what's required as a first step is the planting of non-indigenous, fast-growing trees that have the ability not just to survive but also to begin the process of regenerating the land and bringing back native species. 28. Can I choose the kind of tree that is planted? Right now we're keeping it simple, but later on we'll add the option to choose the type of tree planted on your Tree Island and in the real world. We're currently exploring issues such as the overhead cost of monitoring the planting of various tree species and the potential for shortages of particular species. 29. Who plants the trees in the real world? Our tree-planting partners, Trees For The Future and Sustainable Harvest International, plant trees for mokugift. Working with indigenous communities, these organizations provide training and resources to restore tree cover and foster sustainable agricultural practices. The ultimate goal is an environmentally and economically sustainable system of land use in which planting and properly nurturing trees helps to provide a lifetime of income and a legacy that can be proudly passed on to future generations. Technical Questions: 30. I can't find my login/password email, what should I do? Please check your spam/bulk folder; the email with login information from us may be there. But if you cannot find it, please click on "Forgot my password" to request a new password. Misc. 31. Is mokugift a nonprofit? Mokugift exists in a category called social ventures or social entrepreneurship. Social ventures like mokugift measure success in terms of customer experience, profit AND tangible, positive benefit to the environment and society. Mokugift works closely with nonprofits that specialize in assisting indigenous communities in tropical zones with tree planting and sustainable land-use practices. These nonprofits are experts at what they do, and fully support our efforts. Our modus operandi is to make it easy and rewarding to plant real trees, for $1 apiece, through online "gifting." In this regard, our aim is to tap into the $10 TRILLION U.S. consumer spending market instead of the $12 billion spent on charitable contributions benefiting the environment and animals. To do this optimally, we cannot operate as a nonprofit. Indeed, mokugift is in some ways like any other consumer service that uses a portion of revenues to continually enhance the experience of using the service as well as the value it provides. When a customer purchases a mokugift tree for $1, a portion of that money goes to fund mokugift's operating costs and expansion. The portion that's sent to our tree-planting partners is enough to cover the cost of planting and caring for one tree. This is stipulated in contractual arrangements with our tree-planting partners. 32. How does mokugift appear on my credit card statement? Your mokugift tree purchase will show up as a charge from "mokugift". 33. What is mokugift's privacy policy? To view our privacy policy, please click here. 34. Is there a mokugift iPhone application? NYes. You can buy mokugift's A Real Tree app through the iTunes AppStore. For every copy of A Real Tree purchased on AppStore, mokugift will plant a tree in the real world. Although trees purchased via the AppStore are not tied to your mokugift.com account at this time, A Real Tree app is nevertheless a great way to show friends in person how easy it is to plant a real tree. To check out A Real Tree on iTunes, click here. |
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