Chillin' in Chile

Now that the 33 miners trapped in the Chilean mine are about to ascend to freedom, let’s not let this disaster go to waste. A lot of money and effort has gone into constructing the escape route. Why not, when all the dust settles on this harrowing experience, turn this construct into a whole new form of eco-tourism? The Chilean government, in conjunction with, say, the United States or even the United Nations, could “invite” some of the latest and worst ecological offenders who perhaps will suffer only minor financial setbacks at best or maybe a little time in a cozy and lush country club style detention center, to spend some time in the space vacated by the Chilean miners.
They would not have to spend a long time down there, but just enough to give them time to contemplate their sins. It would be a kind of “time out” for corporate executives. Those in charge of the “eco-lodge” could market the experience as a kind of innovative VIP rehab or an Executive Appropriate Transcendental Synergistic Highly Intensive Transformation to be known as EATSHIT.
Some of the candidates that come to mind are Tony Hayward of BP and the CEO of the aluminum factory in Hungary that recently sent a sizeable cocktail of hazardous waste toward the Danube. Certain to make the exclusive list would be Don Blankenship of Massey Energy who ignored all sorts of infractions before one of his mines blew up killing 29 miners last spring. Perhaps he should be the first to attend this exciting adventure.
On the other hand, it might be a great rite of passage for any national leader from any country that develops energy or mineral resources. A visit to the site and a trip down the shaft might keep national leaders from giving their people the shaft by not enforcing sound protocols pertaining to energy and mineral extraction. Better that they experience firsthand what it is like to survive a mine disaster so that others may survive as well.
Eco-tourism to this point has been altogether tame and precious. It has amounted to no more than an opportunity for ecology converts to strengthen their beliefs…a form of “preaching to the choir.” The people who tend to do eco-tourism are limousine liberals. Isn’t it time the world and business leaders are exposed to an experience that might give them pause to continuing the reckless exploitation of the world’s ever-shrinking resources and the cavalier disregard of sound protocols that save lives?