Hands Across the Sand
From Beachapedia
Hands Across the Sand is an international coordinated day of action to say ”Yes!” to clean energy and “No!” to offshore drilling.
Hands Across the Sand is a movement made of people of all walks of life and crosses political affiliations and the borders of the world. This movement is not about politics — it is about the protection of our coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife and fisheries.
How It Got Started
In Florida on Saturday, February 13, 2010, a statewide gathering against near and offshore oil drilling occurred. 10,000 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. Florida’s Hands Across The Sand event was the largest gathering in the history of Florida united against expanding oil drilling into Florida’s waters. Events were held from Jacksonville to Miami Beach and Key West to Pensacola Beach.
On June 26, 2010, in response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Hands Across the Sand went National and Global. The event was announced and the website went live allowing event organizers sign up only four weeks prior to June 26th. It became the largest gathering of people in the history of the world united against expanding offshore oil drilling and championing clean energy and renewables. Over 1000 events were held worldwide. Events took place in all 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Events were held in 42 countries outside the U.S. 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.
Annual Hands Across the Sand events have occurred every year since 2010.
Mission Statement
To bring together like-minded individuals and organizations with the conviction to organize a Global movement to promote a clean energy future for our earth and end our dependence on dirty fuel sources. These gatherings will bring thousands of American and Global citizens to our beaches and cities and will draw metaphorical and actual lines in the sand; human lines in the sand against the threats Fossil Fuels pose to our present and future planet.
To convince our State Legislators, Governors, Congress and President Obama and World leaders to adopt policies encouraging the growth of clean and renewable energy sources in place of oil and coal.