Citizens Join Hands to Protect Coast from Drilling
(Charleston, SC) What: On August 4, communities all over the world will participate in the international Hands Across the Sand day of action by gathering at their local beach and joining hands to draw a line in the sand. This line will be a figurative way to say “no” to offshore drilling and risky fossil fuels and “yes” to clean renewable energy. Charleston’s Hands gathering will take place on Folly Beach.
The gathering is simple: people gather on the beach between 11:00 a.m. and noon, and then at 12:00 sharp, participants join hands for fifteen minutes. After 12:15, participants disperse and enjoy the beach.
A press conference underneath the Folly Beach fishing pier will precede the joining of hands. The press conference will start at 11:20 a.m. and will feature comments on the subject of offshore drilling from Mayor Tim Goodwin, Hamilton Davis (Energy & Climate Director at Coastal Conservation League), and Chris Carnevale (Coastal Climate & Energy Coordinator at Southern Alliance for Clean Energy).
After the joining of hands, Barefoot Wine & the Surfrider Foundation will host a beach cleanup as part of the Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project. Cleanup will be from 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. followed by a volunteer celebration event. Find more information and RSVP at BeachRescue2012.com.
Since its first year in 2010, thousands of Hands gatherings have taken place in all 50 states and 40 countries worldwide, including Folly Beach gatherings in 2010 and 2011. More information about Hands Across the Sand can be found at http://www.handsacrossthesand.com or at Southern Alliance for Clean Energy’s website: http://www.cleanenergy.org/on-518-draw-lines-in-the-sand-against-drilling. When: Saturday, August 4
• Press conference at 11:20 a.m
• Joining of hands from 12:00 p.m. to 12:15 p.m. Where: Folly Beach; press conference underneath fishing pier; joining of hands adjacent to pier in front of Tides Hotel. Why: We believe that offshore drilling does not serve the interests of South Carolinians. Our tourism and fishing industries as well as our region’s superb natural beauty are too valuable to be jeopardized by such a limited amount of economic development associated with drilling. However, politicians have recently made moves to facilitate offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling. We would like to provide an opportunity to send a statement to our public officials that we want to see our coast protected from offshore drilling. # # # Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is a not-for-profit, non partisan organization working to promote responsible energy choices that solve global warming problems and ensure clean, safe, healthy communities throughout the Southeast. http://www.cleanenergy.org