While you can't avoid all spam, here are some tips for reducing it:

• Don't publish your e-mail address.  Spammers have "robots" that read web sites to look for e-mail addresses.   You'll notice our e-mail is not included in this website, but rather is a link in the "Contact" button.
   

• Don't give your e-mail address to anyone who won't be communicating with you on a regular basis.  Many people use their e-mail address when they order something online, sign-up for news stories, etc.  Get a "junk" e-mail address through one of the freebies:  Yahoo, Hotmail, or Juno.  Use the "junk" e-mail for those times when you have to provide an e-mail address.  Check your "junk" e-mail whenever you feel like it, knowing it will mainly be spam.
   

• Report your spam to the FTC.  Make sure your headers are included, and forward your spam to the FTC's spam enforcement site (spam@uce.gov).  The spammers won't like it.
   

• Use a spam filter.  This may be done at the server, or most mail clients have built-in spam identification.