donation

Donations of $20 or more will receive a t-shirt of one of our three fantastic designs. Please specify size (s through xxl) and design.

Proceeds will go directly to the Shrimpers and Fishermen of Louisiana.

Design 1: State of Disarray

Design 2: Pelican

Design 3: Fleur de Lis

"Love Your Coast"
A Peaceful Demonstration
at the Louisiana State Capitol in Response to the Deepwater Horizon Disaster
Baton Rouge, LA
June 17th and 18th, 2010

March from Old State Capitol begins at 11:30 am Friday.

Cyclists depart from LSU Clock Tower at 11:30 am.

RSVP on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=110504152328383or search for "Coastal Rescue"

Who We Are

Speakers:

Dr. Riki Ott (author of Sound Truth and Corporate Myth and Not One Drop--on the impacts of Exxon Valdez)

Allison Fisher (Public Citizen, speaking on the long-term health and safety violations of BP)

John Clark (Loyola University New Orleans)

Vic Hummert (retired Catholic Missionary and Chaplain)

Kindra Arnesen, speaking on the health hazards of Fishermen

Other community leaders and impacted individuals

Live Music:

Sassafrass

The Blue Eclipse

Emily Guidry

Babel

Volunteer and Educational Resources

Represented Organizations: OSHA, Electric Auto Association, Ducks Unlimited, Public Citizen, Structure Green, LiteSolar, LEAN, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, Matter of Trust, Disaster Science Management Association, Murdered Gulf, American Birding Association

Love Your Coast Coalition Partners: Coastal Rescue, Youth Alliance of Louisiana Leaders (YALL), Sierra Club Delta Chapter, Baton Rouge Progressive Movement, Student Coalition to Help the Oil Leak Relief (SCHOLR)

Why We've Come Together

Our coastal wetlands are more than just a pretty sight--and it is more than just shrimp, turtles and pelicans that are at risk here. These wetlands have created and sustained the life, culture, and wealth of our region for time immemorial. We are all under threat. We must ensure that this will not happen again, so that we can preserve our unique environment and way of life for generations to come. We want our legislators to do everything in their power to clean and restore our coast and to prevent another catastrophic drilling disaster from happening in the future. We also want the public to understand the near and long-term impacts and risks associated with this spill, what they can do about it, and how we we can work together to make it through this.

Oil and gas are a vital part of our economy in Louisiana. But as we've seen from this recent tragedy, the costs of irresponsible energy policies are too high, both for ourselves and for the generations that will follow us. We need a solid commitment by our Legislators in Baton Rouge and our Congressmen in D.C. for safer drilling and clean energy development. Diversifying our energy mix and economy will create jobs, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, improve air quality and support the quality of life in Louisiana and throughout America.

How YOU Can Help

Sign petitions so we can show our officials that they have our support to act to begin to diversify our economy, enact better drilling oversight, and end Big Oil's influence over our government.

Make a contribution to support this effort. Contact loveyourcoast@gmail.com to learn more about making a donation or in-kind contribution.

Plug in and get active with the people and organizations who are fighting for real, positive change in our state.

What We’re Asking For

For Today:

• Support our leaders in their efforts to ensure that everything possible is being done to protect, clean, and restore our coasts, compensate coastal communities and fishermen, and that BP is held 100% accountable and pays the bill.
  

• We demand more responsible oversight of oil and gas extraction, including tougher safety and environmental oversight on drilling by state and federal authorities.

• Urge legislators to adopt a resolution to develop a comprehensive clean energy policy. This resolution can begin the development of a 2011 Bill that will prioritize alternative transportation, renewable utility generation, energy conservation and efficiency.

Our Stance on Oil

We are not opposed to drilling in the Gulf of Mexico because it is crucial to our region's economy. It sustains families, puts meals on tables, and generates significant income for many people. However, we think its a dangerous thing that one company's negligence can single handedly destroy an entire region's ecosystem and way of life.

This is simply too much power.

We support legislation that gives Gulf Coast residents a share of oil revenues BEFORE 2017. As the federal moratorium on offshore drilling drains jobs from our economy, we also support legislation that would create jobs by implementing cleaner energy technologies through tax breaks and incentives.

We are not interested in getting sidetracked with partisan debates on energy politics; rather, we are deeply committed to preventing such catastrophes from happening here, or anywhere else, in the future. For this reason, we believe that energy companies should engage in SAFE drilling practices at depths that pose as little threat to marine and human life as possible.

We also believe that the true remedy to this problem lies in innovation and creativity.

The future of Louisiana should incorporate untapped natural gas reserves, harnessing the vast amount of sunshine into clean solar energy, and developing incentives for wind and alternative fuels. We support incentives for homeowners to implement green appliances, vehicles, materials, and energy. We support businesses who want to build hybrid battery and diesel engine factories in our state. This will create jobs by attracting businesses to the state and creating opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

In creating long-term goals of energy development, Louisiana will be positioned at the epicenter of energy technology. This kind of industry growth will provide jobs, create wealth, improve infrastructure, and help our lands become cleaner and safer. By focusing nearly exclusively on oil, the Gulf Coast states have missed out on opportunities to generate revenue from a booming energy industry.

The technology for clean energy already exists. So maybe while our coastline is recovering and healing, we should focus on more ways to expand our economy.

Because the parties responsible for this disaster have exploited our natural resources, we believe that they should receive justice. Fortunately, there are many paths to justice in the United States. Those responsible must pay for the damage they have caused: Our concern is that there simply isn't enough money to cover the damages to future generations. However, if we are smart and strategic, we can begin to plan for the future so that we can recover from this sooner rather than later.

We simply cannot allow ourselves to perish.

We also need solid contingency plans for hurricane season. Many have expressed concern about the dangers of life on the coast paired with the threats posed by nature's wrath. We would like to work with our state officials to make sure that nobody gets left behind, and so that we can minimize the harms should a storm wash ashore.

An Open Letter

Once upon a time, well really a few days ago, I put up a post on facebook asking for some support handing out fliers and leaflets. Within a few hours, someone posted that they were willing to donate fliers and posters.

After several email exchanges, we had begun to build a professional relationship. He not only designed fliers, but also gave us this web domain so that our website could have a cozier spot to call home. Amazed by the level of generosity and hard work, not to mention that facebook actually WORKED, we began to discuss deeper issues surrounding the Love Your Coast movement. He sent me this email, and agreed to let me post it because I thought it captured the moment we currently find ourselves in quite well.

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I cannot describe the disdain I feel when my beloved coast is being used by those who can profit from its destruction. We need funding through this lawsuit, and we need a voice to support those folks that are doing everything they can to protect us from the influx of oil.

Waiting to clean it up with federal money is NOT my position. We need to act. We cannot wait like we did in 2005. Lousiana can protect itself if we can have an AMERCIA wide voice. Haiti had less total habitat loss per capita over the next 100 years than we did in the first day.

This is a threat. We are the voice. We, peacefully through adhering to the document of this state that brought us together, can achieve protection without permission through vocal support of our local officials who are saying 'HELP!' all the way to the GOVERNOR.

We are the voice. We have a chance. Funding is what we need, no matter if we can protect ourselves - funding is what we need because we are GOING to having to clean up. Best to start a lawsuit now.

Otherwise, we can possibly be capped by federal laws that had nothing to do with our Louisiana coastline.

Thanks for helping with this. This is exactly what we need as a nation. We were left behind without a voice in Katrina and Rita.

We will have our stance with the nation now. We are a state. We are under threat.

Help us protect, with everything we need. The coast is our goal, we as Americans are responsible. Lets do something. After a political stance for funding, there are engineering stances that can be taken to ensure we have the ability to quickly deploy assets to aid us in times like these.

It can be done. We can do it.

Forget left and right. We, at the very least, need to adapt to this accident, forgo political agendas and help support those in office who protect us, as a State. Either that, or we'll be left with the wrath of the conflict between those that will not be affected at the Federal level. And under no circumstances is our coast up for a gamble.

I suppose I have rambled enough. Can't wait to meet.

Lets do this.

-Derek Hinch

Baton Rouge, LA

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See you at the capitol, Derek.

Will YOU be there, too?

Coastal Rescue's Photographers