Angeles Chapter Members Stage Mock Oil Spill At Venice Beach

photo by Maddalena Serra

photo by Maddalena Serra

Activists urge President Obama: It's time for a plan to move nation beyond oil

As the Gulf Coast oil catastrophe quickly grew into one of the largest environmental disasters in United States history, protesters gathered at touristy Venice Beach to raise awareness of the plight of the Gulf's tourist industry, wetland habitats and wildlife populations. On Friday, June 11th, Angeles Chapter members gathered to call on President Obama to provide the leadership to create a plan to move away from oil and toward a clean energy future by 2030.

Demonstrators used black plastic and yellow caution tape to stage a mock oil spill on iconic Venice Beach to call attention to the devastating effects of the Gulf oil spill. The mock spill displayed the frighteningly tangible dangers of expanding offshore drilling along America's coastline and off California's beaches. In the 1960's, the country didn't know how to get to the moon, but President Kennedy gathered the best minds of that generation to join together and make it happen. The message of the mock oil spill was meant to inspire President Obama to do the same thing now and take bold action to move the nation off of oil.

'As long as there is offshore drilling, there will be tragedies like the BP Disaster. If it can happen to Venice, Louisiana, it could happen in Venice, California,' said Sr. Chapter Director, Ron Silverman. 'It's time to invest in clean energy.'

The event at Venice Beach was part of an emerging grassroots movement taking place around the country, of communities calling for the President to announce a plan to move us off of oil within 20 years and move towards a clean energy future. Over 50 events were held by Sierra Club activists nationwide.