To view the environmental quality of a beach in terms of, say ,its surfing potential is clearly only one possible viewpoint –one strongly influenced by age and nationality of the users. For most of our history our questions would relate more to mundane matters of safe anchorage or shellfish yield than to questions of recreational use. We need then to assume some lens or filter which is placed between people and the environment. This means that what we see in a beach may be determined by our age, our interests, our income , our ethnic background , and so on. The environment provides a range of choices, only some of which have ever been seen. For example, a beach backed by very high dunes may suddenly become an attraction for hang-gliding enthusiasts The environment has not changed: but what we choose to see and do in that environment has.