[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/24/deepwater.horizon.gi.art.jpg caption="An explosion destroyed the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform on April 20, 2010."]

By Bob Ruff and Carol Costello, CNN

(CNN) – Americans have experienced their share of large scale environmental disasters. A few stand out:

-The 19th Century had the Johnstown Flood.
-The 20th Century had the Dust Bowl.

Today, we have the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which may prove to be even worse than its predecessors. While they are loathe to say it, some environmentalists wonder if this is the disaster that finally persuades Americans that the environment is important enough to change the way we live our lives.

Will this disaster, as big as it is, give birth to something as groundbreaking as Earth Day? Or the Clean Air Act?

One movement, "Hands Across the Sand,” is banking on it. Back in February, it drew 10,000 Floridians to join hands on clean beaches to protest offshore oil drilling—and that was BEFORE the Deepwater Horizon exploded.

This weekend, "Hands" says it is going international. 599 American cities will take part along with 20 nations.

David Rauschkolb is the founder of “Hands Across the Sand.” He told us it’s “a huge opportunity for us and it's time that we take control of our energy future.” Watch

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By Bob Ruff and Carol Costello, CNN

(CNN) – Fans of the Star Trek television series and movies will no doubt recall the recurring struggle between the emotional Captain Kirk and the logical Spock. Crises as big as the universe itself in the end were somehow averted as emotion and science put their very different heads together.

As for our very own earthly crisis, the giant oil spill in the Gulf, right now science is flummoxed. The best scientists and engineers can’t figure out how to stem the flow or prevent the oil from reaching shore.

Is it time for a little emotion?

"All you need to do is look at this brown pelican, our state bird,” an emotional Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal pronounced Thursday just feet from the oil drenched bird and in full view of a gaggle of reporters.

The governor is usually pretty low-key, but not these days. Here’s a sample:

"I don't want to see a drop of oil on Louisiana's coast!"

“We’re frustrated!”

“Cut us a check!”

“This is their oil! Their damage! They caused this!”

And he’s not alone. It’s not often a U.S. congressman cries on the floor of the House. But that’s precisely what Rep. Charlie Melancon did the other day when describing the environmental disaster affecting his state.

There is a sense of doom here and, some say politicians in their eagerness to do something are calling for solutions that may not work, like giant, six foot high walls of sand – "sand berms." It’s a concept the politicians say has been in their Area Contingency Plan with the Corp of Engineers.

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