Touchy-Feely Activism

Misanthropy and activism don’t seem like they go hand in hand, yet they do. For instance, you might care passionately about the environment and yet find the concept of enforced contact with strangers repugnant. Well, let’s hope your passion for nature, and specifically for the oceans, is greater than your dislike for your fellow man, because “Hands Across the Sand” wants you to form a literal line in the sand to stop offshore oil drilling. On Saturday, the movement that started here in Florida, the home of offshore drilling and offshore drilling hate, is hoping to spread its arms and movement worldwide. Despite the gratuitous hand holding, this is environmental activism in three easy steps. Step 1: Like-minded environmentalists meet on the beach at 11 a.m. in their time zone, regardless of weather conditions. Step 2: Activists hold hands for 15 minutes, forming a symbolic line in the sand. (Misanthropes and germaphobes, bring hand sanitizer, and think of the dolphins.) Step 3: Leave only your footprints behind. In other words, take your cigarette butts and empty Purell bottles with you.

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More About

• Purell
• Hugh Taylor
• Clean Energy Coalition of South Florida
• Science and Technology
• Oil Production and Refining

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Locally, four events are already organized:

• The Clean Energy Coalition of South Florida will be linking hands at A1A and Las Olas Boulevard. Meet in front of the steps at the intersection. Call 954-793-3279, or email CECSFL@gmail.com.

• Sea Turtle Oversight Protection Inc. will gather at Sunrise Boulevard and AIA by lifeguard stand number 15 in front of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. Call 954-404-0025, or email whitecloud@seaturtleop.org.

• There will be a Deerfield Beach meetup. Contact April Holland (954-778-5087; aprilann54@gmail.com) for more information.

• And for the Palm Beach crowd, head to the Jupiter Inlet South Parking Lot at Jupiter Beach Park. Linda Emerson (thegarden@mindspring.com) can give you more information.

If none of these locations works for you, you can easily register your own meetup by visiting the website handsacrossthesand.com.
Sat., June 25, 11 a.m., 2011