US Can Take Steps to Help Whales

The author experiences a miraculous encounter on his whale watching cruise as described in the Home Forum essay "A Rendezvous With Giants," July 27. He dreams that blue whales, and all whales, would always be safe on earth.

Yet Norway has begun a commercial whale hunt in opposition to an international moratorium on killing whales for profit. The United States is in a position to make Norway stop killing whales. Its economy is dependent upon exports to the US, and the Commerce Department recently took an important first step toward an embargo of Norwegian products. It's now up to President Clinton to make good on his environmental stance by formally approving an embargo. Norway won't listen to international pleas for conserv ation and compassion, but they can't afford to ignore economic messages. Patricia Forkan, Washington Executive Vice President The Humane Society of the United States Toxic waste belongs at home

I am shocked to read the Opinion page article "Break the Toxic Waste Habit," Aug. 2. Hooray for Honduras and the other Central American nations that have banned the import of toxic wastes!

How dare we - the United States - create masses of poison and expect it to disappear like magic within other countries' boundaries?

If we are the most powerful nation in the world, let's set an example. Edith C. Smith, Erwinna, Pa.