I’d like to visit Dubai one day, but not for another 500 years. I’d like to see it when the sand has taken back the ecological nightmare of this rich man’s desert paradise.
We’ve discussed Dubai’s fairly shameless use of what is essentially slave labour in previous posts, and the nation’s disregard for labour rights is equalled only by its contempt for the environment. Despite repeated claims that sustainability matters to them, the golf courses, ski slopes and outdoor air conditioning say otherwise.
To add to that list, this week it was announced that the Palazzo Versace hotel, currently under construction, will include a huge refrigerated pool, and a beach that is specially chilled by an under-sand cooling system.
“The house of Versace is about the ultimate in luxurious living,” says Versace’s CEO Giancarlo Di Risio. “Palazzo Versace is a natural extension of our lifestyle brand… the supreme example of a truly exclusive Versace lifestyle.”
The world can’t afford artificially cooled beaches in desert countries. Here’s hoping the credit crunch brings an end to this sort of foolishness.
