Today, Saturday, June 26, 2010, over 400 Key Westers joined ocean lovers around the world for the Hands Across the Sand demonstration of love for our ocean waters and opposition to offshore oil development and the ecological disasters it spawns. The pictures tell the story. A count of each participant was made as everyone held hands along the entire length of Smathers Beach on the oceanside of Key West. Each person called out their consecutive number for an actual count of 428, and they stretched to the end of the long beach, over the breakwater and back again onto the beach behind the main line of people. Some held up signs such as those that read, “Oil & Water Don’t Mix, “Oceans Link the World” and “Just Breathe.” It was a glorious Florida Keys day and spirits were positive.
“You can blame BP and you should; you can blame the White House and you should; but we are each of us responsible for the problem that consuming fossil fuels has on our planet and especially on fragile marine environments. We must personalize the challenge for a clean energy future and use less plastic, change our transportation habits, reduce our consumption, and conserve resources to reduce our use of oil every day,” noted organizer Erika Biddle. “Take the pledge today. Until then, nothing will have changed.”
The pledge Biddle referred to was signed by many at the event and is reproduced below for you to sign. Others signed a letter to the President asking for a clean energy future.
I PLEDGE
TO REDUCE MY DEPENDENCE UPON FOSSIL FUELS
Oil spills are terrible. We all abhor what BP has done to the water, the wildlife, and the way of life of citizens of the Gulf of Mexico and the world. However, I also understand the connection between OUR consumption of oil and the aggressive manner in which oil companies are feeding our addiction.
Therefore, I pledge to reduce my use of oil and all fossil fuels by 10%, starting today.
I pledge to carpool, walk, bike, or take public transportation instead of driving.
I pledge to stop using plastic bags (made from petroleum).
I pledge to stop buying things I don’t need, especially those made from plastic.
I pledge to use less electricity (fueled by oil).
I pledge to reduce my water consumption (pumped by oil).
I pledge to take one fewer trip on an airline per year.
I pledge to buy as much local food as possible.
I take this pledge now, as oil continues to leak into the water, to reduce
my dependence on fossil fuels by 10% NOW.
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