Orcas “Hands Across the Sand” Join International Demonstration on Crescent Beach

Crescent Beach "Hands Across the Sand" event, Saturday, June 26. Photo courtesy of Joan Rorabaugh

“No” to offshore oil drilling, “Yes” to clean energy

In an event sponsored by the political organization MoveOn.org, Orcas Islanders literally joined hands on Crescent Beach in Eastsound, to symbolically join with others around the world in the support of clean energy and in opposition to offshore oil drilling.”

In the wake of the giant BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, MoveOn.org the massive nationwide event; the local event was held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 26. There were scheduled similar “Hands Across the Sand” events in over 400 cities and 12 countries, including the U.S., Japan, India, and New Zealand.

The idea for the demonstration originated with Dave Rauschkolb, a small business owner in Florida, who said, “The message is simple. No to offshore oil drilling, yes to clean energy. We are drawing a line in the sand against offshore oil drilling along America’s beaches and in solidarity events across America and around the world.”