Sierra Club Members Hit Florida Beaches for Hands Across the Sand
Sierra Club members joined and helped organize Hands Across the Sand events on beaches and cities across Florida on Saturday, May 20. At noon for 15 minutes, participants locked hands to say no to fossil fuels and yes to clean energy. Hands Across the Sand was launched in 2010 just two months before the BP oil disaster, but this was the first since Trump announced intentions to expand drilling and seismic airgun blasting off the Arctic, Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and on public lands throughout the U.S.
In Florida, 27 Hands Across the Sand events were scheduled, while nationally, 100 events in 20 states took place. Main sponsors were: Sierra Club, Oceana, Surfrider Foundation, Environment Florida, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Friends of the Earth, Gulf Restoration Network, Chart 411 and Urban Paradise Guild. Here are just some of the highlights:
Treasure Island (Tampa/St. Pete)
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman / Photo by Steve McMurtry
Photo by Shannon Kalahar
Fernandina Beach
Photo by Jonna Wood
Photo by Jonna Wood
Pompano Beach
Photo by Surfrider Broward
Miami Beach
Photo by Christian Mock
Photo by Sam Van Leer
Indian Rocks Beach (near Largo)
Photo by Phil Hanna
Key West, Smathers Beach
Photo provided by Hands Across the Sand Facebook
Photo by Jeane LaRance
Jacksonville Beach
Photo provided by Hands Across the Sand
Tallahassee, the Capitol
Photo provided by Grant Gelhardt
Media Coverage
- Pompano Beach: http://wsvn.com/news/local/dozens-hold-hands-on-pompano-beach-to-protest-offshore-drilling/
- Treasure Island (Tampa/St. Pete): http://www.tbreporter.com/environment/offshore-drilling-treasure-island-mayor/
- Miami Beach: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/miami-beach/article152128532.html
- Fernandina Beach: https://fernandinaobserver.com/2017/05/22/concerned-citizens-join-together-to-support-clean-energy-and-renewables-hands-across-the-sand/
- Pensacola: http://weartv.com/news/local/environmental-advocates-join-hands-across-the-sand
- Fort Myers: http://www.news-press.com/story/news/local/cape-coral/2017/05/20/hands-across-sand-hits-cape-fm-beach-no-substitute-water/334293001/