Hands Across The Sand grows in its second year
It’s time again to wage a collective war on expanded offshore drilling, especially in response to last year’s devastating effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
It’s also time to assemble, show your passion and demand clean energy solutions for a sustainable planet.
It’s time to form a human chain and support the protection of our coastal economies, oceans, marine life and fisheries. Isn’t that the reason we live on or near a beach, anyway?
Come together for the second annual Hands Across The Sand, which will take place on the beachfront near Times Square this Saturday (June 25) at noon. Join people from around the world in corresponding time zones to unite and connect hands on beaches and in cities for 15 minutes for this worthy cause.
Hands Across The Sand is a movement made of people from all walks of life and crosses all borders and political affiliations. This movement is not about politics; it is about keeping our coastal waters and its inhabitants safe from harm.
Participants on the Beach and worldwide are meeting to implore leaders and decision makers to end the United States’ dependence on oil and coal and embrace a clean energy future to maintain Earth’s existence. Hundreds are expected to gather on Estero Island. There will be a sign-in table at Beach Pierside (??????) and six to eight point people with clipboards walking the beachfront.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for everyone to come out and enjoy the sand, the beach and the sun. I really want it to be a day for everyone to get together and enjoy what we could possibly lose, like Louisiana, due to an oil spill,” said Megan Kuzyk, one of the organizers.
This will be the third time in two years that local organizers are calling for a rallying cry. From the inaugural gathering of environmentalists in February 2010 to the more organized congregation of officials and residents in June 2010 to this year’s mega-supported assembly, the event has grown immensely out of a love for life and a love affair for our planet.
“The simple fact that it brings people together for the common good, makes a statement. It is time to insist the government look at the subsidies that our tax dollars are paying for and put them into renewable energies instead of in the pockets of oil companies,” said Robin Curley, another organizer. “BP paid for their so-called cleanup of the Horizon spill with tax break dollars … your dollars.”
Residents from across the county are teaming up with the area’s Sierra Club, Lee County Parks & Recreation, the Town of Fort Myers Beach and FAFCO Solar to support this event on the local scale. In fact, FAFCO Solar has received permission from the County to bring their solar-powered van to Crescent Beach Family Park to provide music at the event. Beach musician Frank Thompson will be playing amplified guitar fed off the van.
Beach resident Lonne Letteri, owner of Bella Signs & Designs Inc., has created and donated 1,000 free Hands Across The Sand bumper stickers for the cause.
Local environmental groups such as The Environmental and Peace Education Center, “1” FMB-Community and Unity Project and Oil Coalition by the People will again be involved.
Go to www.handsacrossthesand.com for more information. If interested in pre-registration, go to FMB HANDS ACROSS THE SAND on Facebook and click ATTEND. Participants are asked to carpool, bike or use the trolley transit system to get to the event and pick up after themselves when leaving.
Besides the handholding, a clean energy petition will be available to sign and information on environmental agencies will be readily obtainable if you are inclined to join the groups.
“We’re trying to get a little bigger every year,” said Patrick McGuire, yet another organizer, “and lay the groundwork for later.”
The inception
Florida surfer and restaurateur Dave Rauschkolb founded Hands Across The Sand in October 2009 in response to a bill passed in the Florida House of Representatives to lift the ban on near shore drilling. With the support of sponsor organizations, he rallied more than 10,000 Floridians to join hands on February 13, 2010, covering the state’s coastlines, to show a united opposition to near shore drilling.
The endorsement
Hands Across The Sand is endorsed by national and international environmental organizations including Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation, Oceana, Environment America, Greenpeace, Defenders of Wildlife, Alaska Wilderness League, Ocean Conservancy, Friends of the Earth, 350, Center for Biological Diversity, Audubon, and CleanEnergy.org.
Solar facts
Schools in San Diego are being equipped with solar power. Solar panels are being attached to 80 rooftops throughout the San Diego Unified School District, according to a recent story in the Union-Tribute at www.signonsandiego.com.
Last year, the district entered into a contract with Solana Beach-based AMSOLAR to build 5 megawatts of solar power. It will generate 11 percent of the district’s total energy, and the district anticipates a savings between $13 million and $20 million against its energy costs over the life of its 22-year contract with the solar company.