Strangely, there are many mixtures of beaches with types of resorts or ocean-related entertainment. It could be coincidence, yet the presence of surfers is usually followed by development that benefits from their eye for good surf and beautiful beaches. There is one peculiar combination of beaches, surfing and another dangerous form of amusement: beachside mega casinos.
Pleasurable Thrills
It seems that humans enjoy things that could be losing lll and yet they are pursued because they promise extraordinary experiences. Surfing is like that. Winning any kind of bet is like that. And, zooming out to a much larger level, when society over-develops land (or beaches) and risks the environment for the sake of thrills, this is also dangerous.
We do now live in a high-tech age that offers certain unexpectedly natural or ecological advantages, despite the massive environmental degradation mankind has caused since the Industrial Revolution. The Web makes websites like one this possible -- bringing awareness to surfing and Nature together -- as well as deeper effects that go beyond spreading solid information.
Replacing Sprawl with Websites
Like one of many science fiction classics, including novels by Philip K. Dick and William Gibson that have been made into big movies, the Internet really has become a parallel world. That gives us many new options in the real world, actually.
Strangely the high-tech help of the Web may be one of the keys humanity could use during this century in striking a balance between its needs and the state of the environment. One example, if you like, is mega casinos built on beaches where surfers go -- there is a story to tell about how the Web may be a force in changing their negative impact.
Betting on Progress
A mega casino complex -- usually with shopping malls, cinemas, restaurants, nightclubs and so forth -- anywhere in the world will have a massive negative impact on the immediate environment. A mega-casino's energy needs, waste production and parking requirements alone put it off the charts in terms of environmental impact.
Superimpose all of that to a pristine beach that surfers have discovered, and what results is a huge scar in the land that could even endanger the beach and surf itself. How can the Web help?
Imagine the mega casino as an online offering instead of a land-based complex. Instead of that immense sprawl and its traffic, imagine some good WiFi spots for people enjoying the beach to play casino games if they like. It's just an example -- unless there was a casino complex on the beach, how many people would want to play poker and blackjack there?
Still this is possible -- in less outrageous examples, too -- and the Web also could teach us how to care for the edges of development where the natural environment is affected. In addition to playing safe games at a UK casino online, people visiting a beach could use apps to learn about the area, its animals, or Google Maps to explore responsibly.