Hands Across the Sand

By: Chelsea Midgette | June 29, 2010 |

The Gulf oil spill has been getting a lot of attention lately, namely in the form of angry, vocal protesters and environmental groups.  And with good reason – according to the Twitter feed @bpdeadbirds, which posts daily updates regarding animals affected by the oil spill, the wildlife death toll has reached 1,165 birds, 436 sea turtles, and 51 mammals.  In addition, the spill is affecting residents’ quality of life, posing possible illnesses and having an impact on local economies and environments.

While the BP spill in the Gulf has generally been met with angry protests and demonstrations, Florida resident Dave Rauschkolb aims for a more peaceful approach to the issue.  In October 2009, he founded Hands Across the Sand, an effort that organizes peaceful gatherings of people to send a message to change our energy policy away from its dependence on fossil fuels and toward a solution of clean energy, starting with urging legislators to abandon expanded offshore oil drilling and adopt policies that encourage clean and renewable energy sources.

On February 13, 2010, thousands of residents joined hands across the state’s beaches to protest change in offshore oil drilling legislation.  This first event was smaller-scale, held Florida-wide to urge the state’s legislators and governor that Floridians did not want them to lift bans on near and offshore oil drilling in Florida’s waters. 

Since then, Hands Across the Sand has become international, spreading its peaceful message across the nation and pleading for help and support worldwide.  On Saturday, June 6, thousands of people lined U.S. beaches and joined hands at 12pm in a show of solidarity for clean energy and against offshore oil drilling – serenely standing alone in a sea of more heated protests.

For more information about Hands Across the Sand, its mission, and how to organize an event, go to http://www.handsacrossthesand.org.

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