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Use Pedal Power to Cut Your Carbon Emissions
As the cost of hybrid and electric vehicles continues to decrease, the switch to fuel-efficient cars becomes more appealing – but the purchase or lease of a new car isn’t right for everyone. While a hybrid or EV may be on your horizon, an easy way to bypass the fuel pumps today is, of course, to dust off your bicycle. Just riding your bike one weekday out of five can help to significantly increase your effective mpg rating.
CEC's results in 2013
The Community Environmental Council (CEC) is a small and dedicated non-profit with a very big mission: ending the Santa Barbara region’s dependence on fossil fuels in one generation. It's been a busy year for CEC. After all, moving our region off fossil fuels is no small task.
Infographic: CEC's results in 2013
The Community Environmental Council (CEC) is a small and dedicated non-profit with a very big mission: ending the Santa Barbara region’s dependence on fossil fuels in one generation. It's been a busy year for CEC. After all, moving our region off fossil fuels is no small task.
WIN: Santa Maria Energy Project Appeal
159 people took action against dirty oil development. After an impassioned six-hour hearing with 110 public commenters, the Board of Supervisors voted to uphold the appeal that was brought by CEC, the Los Padres Sierra Club, Get Oil Out, and the Santa Barbara County Action Network and represented by the Environmental Defense Center. They decided on a 10,000 metric ton threshold for greenhouse gas emissions. While this is not the zero emission threshold we were asking for, it requires Santa Maria Energy to offset almost 90% of their greenhouse gas emissions, instead of the 29% that the Planning Commission had previously approved.
This decision establishes Santa Barbara as an environmental leader. Mitigation will either occur onsite or by funding environmental offset projects.
Kick off the Giving Season With Giving Tuesday
CEC has joined #GivingTuesday, a national movement to create a day of giving around the holidays. With consumerist traditions like Black Friday and Cyber Monday becoming the new norm, #GivingTuesday aims to bring generosity and giving back into focus.
Our Moral Obligation to Address Climate Change
ECOFaith of Santa Barbara is a coalition of faith communities working to harness a collective spirit to take action against the most critical issue of our day - climate change.
Krista H. Reflects on the Eat Local Challenge
For the fifth year, Edible Santa Barbara along with the Community Environmental Council, the Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market and the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County sponsored the Eat Local Challenge, which encourages people to take a personal pledge to eat and drink local products for the month of October. The challenge is a great way to encourage people to think about where their food comes from and to perhaps change the way they shop and eat.
What We're Eating: Local Food
To celebrate Eat Local Month this October, we asked CEC’s Staff, Board, and Partnership Council about what local foods they’re indulging in, where they make their purchases, and what the local food scene means to them.
Today we're hearing from Sigrid, Jules, Jordan, and Dennis.
What We're Eating: Local Food
To celebrate Eat Local Month this October, we asked CEC’s Staff, Board, and Partnership Council about what local foods they’re indulging in, where they make their purchases, and what the local food scene means to them.
Today we're hearing from Krista, Sarah, Dawn, and Kathi. Stay tuned for the next installment of this series.
Employees Plug in at Lynda.com
lynda.com is a rapidly growing online learning company that offers thousands of video courses to help viewers learn software, technology, creative, and business skills. With growth comes the challenge of recruiting, and the largest motivation for installing workplace electric vehicle (EV) charging stations came from the Human Resources department.
Why We Should Eat More Plants
A few years ago, Al Gore was asked why he didn’t mention the environmental impact of animal agriculture in his groundbreaking 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. His candid answer (that getting people to drive a hybrid is easy, while getting them to give up animal products is almost impossible) speaks volumes about the personal nature of environmental politics.
It’s Almost Time for the Eat Local Challenge
Those of us who live in Santa Barbara know that one of our greatest local treasures is the abundance of fresh produce, meat, and seafood that can be sourced regionally. However, you might be surprised to find out that while Santa Barbara County is in the top 1% of agricultural producing counties in the U.S., 95% of the produce we eat is imported. In more extreme cases, the food we eat was sourced locally, shipped overseas for processing and sent back to Santa Barbara to end up on your plate. Take calamari for example.
Tim F. Discovered That Electric + Solar = Savings
When this financial professional crunched the numbers he found that driving on sunshine added up.
Michael Is Powering His Home and Car with the Sun
CEC's Energy and Transporation Manager is driving on sunshine.
We Challenge You to Eat Locally This October
When you browse the produce section of a typical grocery store, you'll find that much of the food we eat is not sourced from local farmers, but typically travels from all corners of the world. It takes a lot of energy to produce fertilizers and pesticides, package and process the food, and then transport and store it. By choosing to eat locally-sourced food you’ll save energy and is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint.
Marika D. Gives Back without Relying on a Car
At age 84, Marika Davidek is an activist, organizer, reiki practitioner, student, teacher, volunteer, and grandmother. She unravels an impressive list of community involvements and rich tale of activism efforts. And she does it all without a car.
For the Love of Plunging in the Pool
Ley and Suzanne Wertz love their pool, but as the largest electricity-using item in their home, they have struggled with its financial and environmental impact. Now, thanks to CEC’s Solarize program, they are enjoying the pool without the guilt.
Social Media and Mobile Technology Make it Easy to Drive Less
Recently in Not Your Father’s Carpool Part 1, CEC reported on new findings by U.S. Pirg indicating that young people are buying fewer new cars and driving less – demanding a new American Dream that is less dependent on the one-car-per-person model.
Coupled with this is another trend: the rapid development of social media and mobile technology that make it easier for people to connect directly with someone who has something they need.