Hilo demo: NO to Offshore Oil Drilling...

[Frankie Stapleton]

Hilo is joining in Hands Across The Sand, an international effort planned for this coming Saturday, June 26 in which people are saying NO to Offshore Oil Drilling, YES to Clean Energy Sources, by joining hands and forming lines on beaches all across the globe (see handsacrossthesand.org for details).

The Hilo event is planned for earlier in the day from the other Hawaii sites (Waikiki and Laniakea on Oahu, Hapuna in West Hawaii) because Moku O Hawaii's Keaukaha Canoe Regatta will be taking place all day long along Hilo's Bayfront. Moku O Hawaii OCRA has graciously agreed to join our effort and we're going to gather at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, on the seashore closest to Pauahi Street in Hilo, with our ceremony taking place at 8 a.m. The event itself is only planned for 15 minutes.

The public is invited to take part...Anybody can join this one-day movement!

The action will be part of a global message being sent to the leaders of the world to end the use of fossil fuels and take a stand for clean, indigenous, renewable energy resources to secure a sustainable future for Hawaii.

Hawaii imports more than 40 million barrels of oil each year to power our homes, our cars and bring us our food. We are so dependent on burning fossil fuels that we demand it daily at a cheap price. However, the recent BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has brought international attention to the true cost of our addiction to oil.

It is estimated that over 100,000 barrels of oil are flowing into the Gulf of Mexico every day. Hawaii currently imports about 110,000 barrels of oil every day. If one of our supertankers were to spill off our shores, the environmental and economic damage would be catastrophic.

This is situation is real for Hawaii, and we need to stand together now and end our dependence on imported fossil fuels. We have all of the alternatives we need here in our islands, now we must make a commitment to getting back to our roots and take on a challenge that future generations will be proud of.

Contact Frankie at 965-8945 for more information.

[tada]

News about Puna Geo-

http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/s...?ana=yfcpc

Other people want to make friends- I just want to make money.
James Cramer

[Daniel]

If we all stop using it, we will collectively put an end to it with our dollar votes. The Government cant do it. Provide a better way and the change will be automatic. Just like the rise of oil was. If you don't think it can be done, come to my house!

Daniel R Diamond

[DanielP]

It absolutely amazes me that more people are not up in arms in favor of more Geothermal power generation. I believe that solar has some potential and wind has some potential, but geothermal has the ability to provide power on a scale that is pragmatic.

[mdd7000]

Iceland is a perfect example.

Unfortunately, there are "cultural issues" with utilizing geothermal energy here. The state also owns all mineral rights and steam is considered a mineral - they tax it even though the geothermal plant isn't taking it - they only borrow it for a few minutes and it is injected right back into the ground. The Democratic party in Hawaii takes tax and spend to a whole new level.

Back on topic, drilling in shallow water (under 1000 feet or so) is quite safe and well blowouts can be capped almost immediately because the technology is so well developed. Maybe in another 30 years deep water drilling will be as safe? I hope so.

[Carey]

How do you do this protest without SUPPORTING the cause you are against?

This is based on a protest I saw decades ago, when I was a diver at an aquarium. There were PETA protesters against the bringing in beluga whales .... the one that was 'on me' had a brand of leather shoes made in Canada & was handing out flyers printed on white glossy paper.... The point? If the protester had any information on either of those products, she would have known that in her protest she was actually SUPPORTING causes that endangered the lives of belugas....

How will you get there?
What will use you to make your signs?
Will you increase, or decrease your oil use in the protest?
Just a thought...

ETA: Mdd - the Ixtoc I spill was #2 in the world, & was a shallow ocean well in the Gulf of Mexico... spill was from June '79 until March '80.... the technology being used to stop the current spill is the drilling of 2 relief bores, - the same response technology that was used then;....

[Greg]

As Frankie pointed out, there is a regatta with over 1000 paddlers that will already be on site that day. many will be ride sharing. They will be cavorting about in alternative energy powered canoes. mahalo to the Moku O Hawaii for allowing this concurrent and energy efficient use of space.[]

[mdd7000]

"....spill was from June '79 until March '80."

That was 30 years ago. Technology HAS changed a lot since then for shallow well drilling.

[Carey]

The RESPONSE technology that was used then is being used today, 30 years later...... that is what I stated... The equipment has changed, but the basics of the response, we are still at the 2 bore response...ETA 'guide till ya poke it'.... guys on the rigs are doing what they have been doing for 20-30 years... just newer toys....

[Frankie Stapleton]

We all know the arguments about fossil fuels and clean energy. I grew up on the Gulf Coast, from Tampa, Florida all the way around to Panama City, Mobile, Dauphin Island, Biloxi, right round to Corpus Cristi, TX (a military brat). What this has done to the Gulf is absolutely gut-wrenching for those of us who know and love the natural life there.

In lieu of being able to do anything more than what I'm already doing to try to push for sustainable energy, I'm doing this. Maybe our leaders will take note...I'm trying to be positive instead of negative here! In Florida, last February (BEFORE the Gulf spill) 10,000 people gathered hands on the beaches to make this same statement. Ah, the irony!

Now we're doing it worldwide. Please join us in making this statement! Aloha and malama pono, Frankie Stapleton