Sierra Club members hit the 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: Surfrider Broward

Miami Beach

Aerial 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:

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
Ft. 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/