For Immediate Release
Americans and the World To Join Hands In The Largest Gathering Against Offshore Oil Drilling In History
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - On Saturday, June 26, beginning at
11:00AM at the corner of A1A and Las Olas Boulevard, South Floridians
will join 49 other States and several countries in solidarity events, by
joining hands on beaches
and in parks and cities united against the dangers offshore oil drilling present to our oceans and
marine wildlife, fishing industries and coastal economies, in Hands Across The Sand.
"The Deepwater Horizon disaster is a wake
up call" said Dave Rauschkolb, founder of Hands Across the Sand. "Even
as the Gulf disaster grows, British Petroleum and other oil companies
continue to push for new offshore drilling anywhere oil might be found
regardless of the risks they pose. Together we have an opportunity to
change America and the world on June 26. It is time for our leaders to
take bold, courageous steps and open the door to clean energy and
renewables and free our country from its addiction to oil."
Hands Across The Sand's mission is to
change our energy policy away from its dependence on fossil fuels and into the
light of clean energy. The aim is to convince our leaders to abandon expanded offshore oil
drilling and adopt policies that encourage clean and renewable energy sources.
In Fort Lauderdale Beach Florida on June
26th, supporters are asked to begin gathering at 11am at the
intersection of A1A and Las Olas Boulevard and will silently join hands
at noon all along the shoreline for 15 minutes.
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"At a time when our country is finally
assessing the true cost of dependence on fossil fuels - no need to recap
the horrors we're all seeing daily," said the organizer for the Fort
Lauderdale Event Matthew Schwartz "this is the time to move things in a
very different direction. We must say NO to offshore drilling and YES to
clean energy. Now."
Hands Across The Sand was founded by
Dave Rauschkolb in October of 2009. He organized a statewide gathering on
February 13, 2010, to send a message to Florida's legislators and
Governor Crist that Floridians did not want them to lift the bans on
near and offshore oil drilling in Florida's waters. "The image is
powerful, the message simple," said Hands Across the Sand Founder Dave
Rauschkolb. "No to offshore
oil drilling, yes to clean energy. We are drawing a line in the sand against
offshore oil drilling along America's beaches. No one industry should
be able to place entire coastal economies and marine environments at risk with dangerous, dirty
mistakes." Thousands of
Floridians representing 60 towns and cities and over 90 beaches joined
hands to protest the efforts by the Florida Legislature and the US
Congress to lift the ban on oil drilling in the near and off shores of
Florida. Thousands joined hands from Jacksonville to Miami Beach and Key
West to Pensacola Beach. The lifting of the near shore ban would have
brought oil rigs as close as 3 miles from Florida's shores. Shortly
after the event the Florida Legislature tabled the effort.
Facebook
Event - Fort Lauderdale:
http://www.facebook.com/event.
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Hands Across the Sand is a movement made of people of all walks of life and crosses political affiliations. This movement is not about politics; it is about protection of our coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife, and fishing industry. Let us share our knowledge, energies and passion for protecting all of the above from the devastating effects of oil drilling.
