This is just one of those short comments, long thought about, but not yet printed, at least not here.

Regular users of the Society of Environmental Journalists' listserv need read no further. You already know, and first hand, all that will be said here.

Point is that SEJ's listserv is an extraordinarily useful, helpful, and practical tool for journalists plying this beat. In effect, you can't beat it.

A new and somewhat shy reporter –- green on the beat, mind you, but not in the sense that some like to condemn environmental reporters as "greens" –- humbly asks for assistance on what some beat veterans first learned years ago. And immediately receives it. From wizened veterans, eager to share their own hard-fought learnings.

Other examples. A journalist throws out what might at first seem an idle or perhaps even silly question. And it evolves over time –- and not much time, at that –- into a full and rewarding exchange among reporters nationwide, sometimes including a few off-shore. A reporter asks for others' experiences with new technologies, whether it's which flavor of digital camera to consider or whether digital voice recorders are worth the investment.

The examples could go on, do go on, and writing here that they exist in no way violates the listserv's entirely proper restrictions on how exchanges on that members-only service can or cannot be used elsewhere.

Most active SEJ members and active likely already use this invaluable tool and on a daily basis. Others should. Despite the inevitable but mercifully infrequent occasional quackery associated with any such free-wheeling electronic exchange (the occasional outlier that makes you jump for the delete button), this is an SEJ service all active journalists should readily embrace and use. It's also a great recruitment tool for SEJ.

Hats off. Far. To both those volunteers who make it run and, most importantly, to those contributors whose freely given contributions of counsel and inquiry make it one of the best things going online for environmental reporters. Job well done.