Jersey Shore activists with Rep. Frank Pallone. Photo: Michelle Scott

This weekend, over 25 Surfrider Chapters participated in Hands Across the Sand events across the country, joining thousands of activists around the world in saying NO to offshore drilling and YES to clean energy!

A grassroots event founded by Surfrider member Dave Rauschkolb in Florida, Hands Across the Sand brings people together to oppose new offshore drilling and other dirty fuel proposals. Particpants form “human lines in the sand” by joining hands at their local beach or park to send a message to government leaders.

The Surfrider Foundation served as an official sponsor of the 2013 event as part of our Not the Answer campaign. Other sponsors included: Oceana, Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Gulf Restoration Network, and the Center for Biological Diversity.

Below are some of the highlights from around the country:

Florida - All eleven Surfrider chapters participated in events to oppose offshore drilling and/ or seismic testing. Go Florida!!

California - South Bay Chapter initiated its campaign to win an upcoming city vote on local drilling (photo above). The Santa Cruz and San Luis Bay Chapters also organized events.

New Jersey - Congressman Frank Pallone spoke at a local event co-sponsored by the Jersey Shore Chapter at Bradley Beach

Pacific Northwest - The Chapters of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia organized a Hands event at the Clean Water Classic Surf contest

Georgia - The Atlanta Chapter organed a HANDs event with several other groups as part of an SUP paddle

Virginia - The Virginia Beach Chapter participated in an event with Sierra Club at Neptune Park

Massachusetts - The Massachusetts Chapter particpated in an event at Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, MA

Hawaii - The Oahu Chapter hosted an event at Kalama Beach Park with San Lorenzo Bikinis and Aveda & Black Cat Salon. The Kona Chapter organized an event as part of an annual Keiki Surf Contest

South Bay Activists: Hermosa Beach, CA

With the oil industry pushing for a dramatic expansion of offshore drilling in U.S. waters, Hands Across the Sand participants showed President Obama, Congress, and State Legislatures the breadth of opposition to new drilling and support for a clean energy future based on energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions.

To see more photos and videos from Hands Across the Sand 2013, please visit:http://www.handsacrossthesand.com/

Actor and ocean advocate Ted Danson has launched a White House Petition asking President Obama to cancel planned seismic airgun testing for oil and gas in the Atlantic Ocean. The goal: to collect 100,000 signatures by May 15 to compel the President to provide an official response on the issue.

Last year, the Department of the Interior proposed conducting seismic testing off the coast of the Mid and South Atlantic to assess oil and gas resources. The surveys would employ employ loud and damaging technologies, causing major impacts to marine wildlife and the ecosystem. According to the Department’s own estimates, seismic exploration would injure upwards of 130,000 whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals over the next eight years.

Furthermore, offshore drilling is inherently polluting and dangerous, and it will not solve our nation’s energy needs. According to the Department of Energy, fully developing all of our recoverable offshore oil reserves would lower pump prices by only 3 cents. Such a tradeoff is not worth the risk to our coastal economies, including tourism, recreation, and commerical fishing, which generate billions of dollars in annual revenue on the Atlantic coast.

Surfrider is proud to be working with Oceana, NRDC, Clean Ocean Action, Sierra Club and many others to reach the goal of 100,000 signatures! Please sign the petition so we can get this issue on President Obama’s desk!

To sign the petition click here

To read Surfrider’s comment letter click here

To read DOI’s official announcement click here