Fiji Defense

It strikes us as peculiar--strictly aside from the fact that we know Hillary Hauser and her husband got their Fiji trip (“Reef Encounter,” Aug. 19) mostly gratis as public relations for Fiji. In fact, most peculiar that no mention was made of the dangers to a pristine environment like Fiji from the eco-devastation of man invading this land and these coral reefs.

For make no mistake about it, the article will send stressed-out, crisis-fatigued, rich Americans flocking to the peace of an uncrowded place, which will soon not be uncrowded. It’s nice Hillary and Jim got a peaceful honeymoon there, but it was somewhat irresponsible not to mention our ecological responsibilities.

ELAINE STANSFIELD

Director

Save Our Earth, Los Angeles

Editor’s Note: Hillary Hauser did not travel to Fiji gratis, but did indeed pay for the trip. As for the ecological responsibilities of diving, it is obvious that Stansfield missed the accompanying article on diving by Bill Belleville which explicitly dealt with the dangers to the fragile reef ecosystem and how there was a growing trend toward enacting protective laws to keep these fragile reefs from being “over-loved.”