US-run mine warned by Indonesia (BBC)

Indonesia has warned of legal action against a huge US-owned mine in Papua province, unless it does more to protect the environment.

The Grasberg gold and copper mine has been the focus of protests by locals, who say it causes ecological damage but has little economic benefit for them.
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{The audit} confirmed what activists have been saying for some time - that US mining giant Freeport needs to improve the management of the millions of tons of waste produced by the Grasberg mine, one of the largest in the world.
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The government recently settled a similar suit against mining firm Newmont, blamed for pollution at its mine on Sulawesi Island, when the company agreed to pay $30m to fund environmental monitoring and community projects.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4836164.stm

on outsourcing our pollution. It's embarassing, how we pat ourselves on the back for supposedly cleaning up our country, while we rape other people's land for cheap resources.

I try to be circumspect about pointing fingers, since I benefit from artificially cheap raw materials as much as the next guy. And I read all the eco-optimist articles in Wired Magazine during the 90s, and took their word for it. My bad.

I can unequivocally say that if anybody had asked me: "Are you OK with ecologically raping defenseless 3rd-world countries for cheap resources?" I would have said "No, I'm fine with paying extra to avoid that." I imagine most people would say the same, which I'm sure is why they go to great lengths to make sure nobody poses the question that way. Ever.

"We only did it because you wanted us to!" (for "want" read the glorious free market paid well")