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Vol. 89, Issue 25 | April 25 - April 27, 2011
.com
THE MIAMI HURRICANE Floridians protest off-shore drilling Group supports alternative energy BY ALEXANDRA LEON ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
T
he Deepwater Horizon oil spill left 200 million gallons of petroleum in the Gulf of Mexico, 11 dead, 12,000 jobless and 400 species of marine wildlife in danger. Now imagine this scenario in South Florida. One year after the spill, a group of South Floridians opposed to offshore drilling have raised concerns that petroleum companies will move to drill off the coast of Florida. On Wednesday, oceans advocacy non-profit group Oceana hosted a mock oil spill on Las Olas Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale. At the rally, the group protested against large oil corporations and petitioned for renewable energy
Embracing nature
solutions. “We know with certainty that where there is drilling, there is spilling, ” said Katie Parrish, climate and energy campaign organizer for Oceana. “What will help Florida ’s economy and energy dependence is focusing on renewable sources of energy, such as offshore wind. ” The group proposed an amendment to the Florida constitution in order to prohibit “oil drilling for exploration or extraction ” in all Florida waters. Oceana, however, has nothing to worry about for at least six years. Last December, the Obama administration reversed its decision to explore drilling on Florida ’s coastline, according to The Miami Herald. The new policy mandates that Florida ’s Atlantic coastline and the eastern Gulf of Mexico will remain closed to drilling until at least 2017.
SEE DRILLING, PAGE 5
BRITTNEY BOMNIN // Art Director
MARLENA SKROBE // Photo Editor
SAVE THE OCEANS: Ned Stone, a fisherman and the Southern district director of the Florida Wildlife Federation, speaks at Wednesday’s mock oil spill protesting drilling off Florida’s coast.
ENOUGH WITH THE APATHY
COLLEGE STUDENTS SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT, NOT INDIFFERENT PAGE 6
COME TOGETHER: George H. Houck IV, the president of UM’s Atmospheric Science Club, joins students in forming a circle around Lake Osceola on Friday afternoon during Hug the Lake. The event is hosted by Random Acts of Kindness annually on Earth Day with the goal of demonstrating a sense of solidarity among all the participants as well as with nature.
TIME TO PLAY DRESS UP
GRADUATION AND FORMALS ARE AROUND THE CORNER PAGE 9
CATCHING UP WITH ANDRE
HOUSTON TEXANS’ WIDE RECEIVER GIVES NFL DRAFT ADVICE PAGE 11