One of the interesting aspects of the bids to build Trump’s Southern Wall is some of the creative features some are proposing of the kind that Qin Shi Huang and the Roman Emperor Hadrian didn’t think of when they were building their walls. Suggestions range from covering the wall with Solar Panels, making it an art space, or putting up Observation Decks on top so that tourists can enjoy the desert vistas, according to Hot Air.
Turning the wall into a giant solar collector is one of the more interesting ideas. The desert Southwest has a lot of sunlight, and the wall will have even more square footage.
A cost-benefit analysis could be made to see if this idea makes economic sense. Would enough electricity be generated to sell to the grid or just enough for the flood lights and the coffee machines run by the Border Patrol guards manning the wall? In any case, maybe this idea will get the grudging support of the environmental community.
Sections of the wall being made into art space is an old idea, usually employed at bus stops and train stations. Presumably, the art would be of a higher level than the type that involves spray paint cans. The selections, though, should be done by locals and not the National Endowment for the Arts, slated for elimination in any case by the Trump Administration.
Making the wall into a tourist destination would be one of the most inspired ideas of them all. Presumably, the top of the wall would be broad enough to accommodate a lot of people willing to pay for the experience. They would be accessible by both steps and elevators, the latter in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Maybe the observation decks could also include little cafes where drinks and meals could be sold for the enjoyment of the tourists as they watch the unspoiled desert and see if they can spot a would-be illegal immigrant trying to scale or tunnel underneath the wall.
No doubt other ideas are lurking about to monetarize the wall. How about a reality show in which contestants try the breach the wall without being caught by the Border Patrol in exchange for cash prizes. Or would that be in bad taste?
