Greetings, Green Canaries!

Another month has passed, so here's our usual email covering the basics.

First of all, to our new members, welcome!!! You should have received a welcome
message, including the list rules, but just in case you missed it (or forgot it
due to chemical-exposure-induced forgetfulness), this is a reminder that in
order to avoid problems with people joining the list only in order to post
advertisements (SPAMMERS, in other words), new members' first posts are
moderated (delayed in getting to the list, until they can be checked by a
moderator), in order to make sure that they are real posts, not just ads. Once
you post something that shows that you're "real", we take you off of "moderated"
status, and just expect you behave responsibly, like the rest of the list
members. <smile>

We don't mean to seem unfriendly - in fact, the best way to deal with this rule
is just to post a message introducing yourself to the list, so that we can all
"meet and greet". <smile>

The rules are available in our Files section, which you can find online at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GreenCanary/files

But, in case anyone forgot, here are the basics:

1) Treat each other with basic social decency and respect
1a) NO FLAMING

2) Remember that many of your fellow list members have memory problems and
other health limitations, so try to accommodate them when posting here.
2a) When you change the topic, change the Subject line in your message;
this helps people who aren't up to reading all the messages on the list, and is
important to any subscriber on a limited income who may be paying for the
traffic they pull in.
2b) Please quote what you're replying to from previous messages; some of
us are ill and have memory problems.
2c) Please delete any extra, irrelevant/unnecessary material from any
message you're replying to - especially the ads our mailing list provider
includes at the bottom of the message, but also including any part of the
message that has nothing to do with your reply. You can indicate removed
material easily, by saying "<snip>" wherever you leave out part of the message
you're replying to.
2d) Please be sure to include "Subject", "From", and "Date" lines from the
message you're replying to, so people can figure out which one it is, in case
more than one message in a conversation has the same subject line.

3) Share what you know, if you have something to offer to the conversation.

4) Help when you can - and if you're sick or injured, this includes the
counterpart DON'T try to do more than you can do without hurting yourself.

5) Do what works for you, and remember that we're all different - what works
for someone else may not work - or even be safe - for you, and vice versa.

6) Be kind to the Earth, for She is the Mother of all Life; we have covered
Her with poisons, and as we help Her heal, we heal ourselves.

7) This list is highly ecumenical, with members of widely varying beliefs, and
members of all religious views are welcome; however, we ask that list members
be respectful toward one another. Expressing one's own feelings and views need
not come at the expense of forcing them on one another, and the use of language
of the heart and spirit should be inclusive, not divide us.

8) Respectful and inclusive tolerance and support has always been one of the
core values of this list.

9) This is NOT a commercial list - please do not post advertising here. Our
advertising policy is sent to all new members, or is available in the Files
section of our Yahoo Groups community pages.

Please check out our database and files sections, at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GreenCanary - in particular, please feel free to
add to them!

We're trying to build up some good databases of non-toxic product,
Environmental-Illness-friendly doctors, and more - if you think it might be
suitable, but aren't sure, just check with me (the list-owner).

You are also encouraged to upload files to the files section if they are
on-topic to this list, and may be of use to others on or off the list. This
includes:

~ articles on:
~ Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS),
~ environmental toxins,
~ xenoestrogens,
~ Environmental Illness (EI) of any kind, (including those illnesses that
are not environmental in origin, but make sufferers sensitive to chemical
exposures) and
~ signs of environmental illness in other species,

~ as well as information on alternative medicine,
~ chemical-free living,
~ non-toxic treatment methods for these illnesses and any other illness or
problem that may be encountered by a person with MCS or EI,
~ and other aspects of "Green Living" or related subjects, such as:
~ organic food and gardening,
~ herbalism,
~ nontoxic building and
~ construction methods.

DO NOT upload any copyrighted material that is not yours to share, unless it
explicitly states in its content that it is available for public distribution by
any non-profit means or media.

Please feel free to announce the existence of this list to others who might be
interested, as long as it is done in a friendly, appropriate, and tactful way -
and of course, I would expect no less of you, or any other member of this list.
We are here to help each other, and to pool our knowledge to the benefit of all.

For this reason, the list archives are publicly available; please observe all
standard precautions regarding unsecured transmission of any personal
information, and share only that information which you are comfortable with
making publicly available. While I would hope that all list members are equally
dedicated to the ideal of helping each other with knowledge and support in the
effort we make to detoxify ourselves and our environment, not here to hurt each
other or anyone else, the internet too has its hazards, and we must all exercise
reasonable judgement about the information we choose to share about ourselves
and our personal lives.

And most of all - ENJOY THE LIST! It's here, it's for you, use it! <smile>

Willow Firesong
GreenCanary-owner@yahoogroups.com

Willow Firesong's Circle of Firelight in the Grove of Information
http://members.tripod.com/~Willow_Firesong/
http://home.talkcity.com/SpiritCir/WillowFiresong/