Residents and visitors across coastal Alabama were invited to take part in the national Hands Across the Sand movement on Saturday, June 25, 2011, with simultaneous gatherings planned at three locations along the Gulf Coast: Dauphin Island, Fairhope and Gulf Shores.
A Show of Solidarity for Clean Energy
Hands Across the Sand is a grassroots initiative that brings together people from all walks of life to form human chains along shorelines. The movement’s mission centers on expressing support for clean energy development while opposing the expansion of offshore oil drilling. The event is deliberately nonpartisan, focusing instead on shared values of environmental stewardship and coastal preservation.
At each of the three Alabama locations, participants were asked to begin gathering at 11:00 a.m. At noon, everyone joined hands and stood in silence along the beach for 15 minutes, creating symbolic lines in the sand to represent their commitment to protecting beaches, oceans, marine wildlife and coastal economies.
Three Locations Across Two Counties
On Dauphin Island, the event took place at the beach near Fort Gaines, located on the island’s east side along Bienville Boulevard. In Fairhope, participants gathered at the public beach near the pavilion in the Duck Pond area at the foot of Fairhope Avenue on Mobile Bay. The Gulf Shores event was held at Gulf Shores State Park Pier on State Highway 135.
Local organizers encouraged attendees to incorporate clean energy practices into their daily lives, including conserving energy, recycling and supporting efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
A Growing National and International Movement
Hands Across the Sand was founded in October 2009 by Florida restaurateur Dave Rauschkolb. By 2011, the movement had expanded to include events in nearly every U.S. state and numerous international locations. The initiative carried endorsements from major national environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society, Oceana, Defenders of Wildlife, the Ocean Conservancy, Friends of the Earth, Environment America and the Center for Biological Diversity.
The 2011 events came roughly one year after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which devastated Gulf Coast communities and heightened public awareness of the risks associated with offshore drilling in the region.