Hands Across the Sand May 18th Noon at Lake Worth Beach

Press Release   

May 13, 2013

Contact:

Jody Young, Local Palm Beach County Organizer, 561-704-3912; jody_r_young@att.net
Dave Rauschkolb, Founder, 850-865-1061; pressinfo@handsacrossthesand.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

On May 18 at 12:00 PM in corresponding time zones, people around the world will join hands on beaches and in cities for the third annual Hands Across The Sand to oppose expanded offshore and near-shore drilling and call for clean energy solutions for a sustainable planet. A beach cleanup is being organized by the Palm Beach County Surfrider chapter beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Lake Worth Beach.

LOCAL EVENT:   LAKE WORTH BEACH PIER.  At noon on May 18th, participants will line up at the water line and hold hands stretching from the pier south.    

PHOTO OP- Local and State Elected Officials are expected to participate.

On May 18 at 12:00 PM in corresponding time zones, people around the world will join hands on beaches and in cities for the third annual Hands Across The Sand to oppose expanded offshore drilling and call for clean energy solutions for a sustainable planet.

Hands Across The Sand is a movement made of people of all walks of life and crosses all borders and political affiliations.  It is about supporting the advancement of clean energy sources that will sustain our planet. This movement is not about politics; it is about protecting coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife and fisheries from the threats of expanded offshore drilling and the accidents associated with this.

Hands Across The Sand participants are joining hands on May 18 to say NO to offshore oil drilling and YES to clean energy. They are joining hands to implore leaders and decision makers to end the United States dependence on oil and coal and embrace a clean energy future for a sustainable planet.

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 nearshore drilling. With the support of sponsor organizations, he rallied over 10,000 Floridians to join hands on February 13, 2010, covering the state's coastlines, to show a united opposition to nearshore drilling.  Two months later the BP Deepwater Horizon exploded in the Gulf of Mexico.  Dave then organized a global Hands Across The Sand to urge President Obama to abandon his bid to open the continental United States waters to offshore oil drilling. On June 26, 2010, over 1,000 Events took place in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

International events were held in 42 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Belize, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Greenland, Greece, Croatia, Ireland, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Panama,Peru, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, Tanzania, and South Africa.

On April 20th, the one-year anniversary of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, Hands Across The Sand’s 2011 event website launched, enabling people worldwide to organize and participate in demonstrations in their neighborhoods, cities, parks and beaches. 

Website: www.handsacrossthesand.org

Hands Across The Sand is endorsed by national and international environmental organizations including SierraClub, Audubon, Surfrider Foundation, Oceana, Florida Wildlife Federation, Alaska Wilderness League, 350.org, 1 Sky, Friends of the Earth, Conservation Law Foundation, Cleanenergy.org, Florida Coastal & Ocean Coalition Save Our Seas, Beaches and Shores,Inc. Sunetric, and Gulf Restoration Network.