Blog
A space for learning.
CEC's Santa Barbara Earth Day: A Brief History by Paul Relis
"What I love about Earth Day today is that it has become an enormous exchange of information and ideas about how to preserve, protect and enhance the quality of life in Santa Barbara and by extension, the world. It's fun, educational and an aesthetic experience all rolled into one. How many events do you go to where 38,000 people gather to learn from one another? Earth Day gives me a sense of joy and hope each and every year."
- Paul Relis, former CEC Executive Director
The Earth Without Us: An Earth Day Reflection from Sigrid Wright
Here we are, weeks and months into an unprecedented global exploration into isolation due to COVID-19. And once again, the most poignant takeaway of this new territory may very well be our keen rediscovery of how our lives depend on one another.
How COVID-19 Could Help Us Get Through the Climate Crisis
In an interview with the Santa Barbara Independent Sigrid Wright, Executive Director of the Community Environmental Council shares her reflections on the similarities between the coronavirus pandemic and the climate crisis, and how the current emergency could help us navigate the even bigger threat to our future.
Food Resilience During the Pandemic: Habits to Learn and Systems to Strengthen
Here’s what we know: a local, diversified and equitable food system can be one of our best defenses in moments of community crisis. CEC's Food and Climate Program Manager shares how food system resilience is at the foundation of community resilience, which is the foundation of climate resilience.
CEC Holds Timely Home Energy Storage Workshops
In the Fall and Winter of 2019, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) partnered with city and county energy staff, local solar and energy companies, and community leaders to host three energy storage workshops in Santa Barbara, Montecito, and Ventura in response to a growing interest in solar-paired battery systems.
How the Pandemic Could be a Crossroads for the Climate
The pandemic could be a crossroads for the climate if we act together now. We’ve learned a few key things from the climate movement that can be helpful here. And vice versa; what we’re learning from this extremely challenging public health crisis could make this a watershed moment for climate change and an enormous opportunity for transformation.
Bold, Timely Solutions That Can Inform COVID-19 Community Needs
The pandemic exposes our region's social, economic and environmental strengths and vulnerabilities – the exact type of community resilience CEC's Climate Resilience Roundtables are designed to help us work toward together. See community-driven solutions we've developed that could support us in this time.
Our Biggest Challenge: An Interview with Former CEC Board President John Steed
Peter Brill, founder and first Executive Director of Sustainable Change Alliance interviewed John Steed, former board president and current member of CEC President’s Council about what we can do to address climate change.
The Light Blue Line: 13 Years Later
In 2007 a proposal to stripe a blue line throughout downtown Santa Barbara would have shown the potential sea level rise in our fair city as a result of climate change. I was shocked to see how much of the community would be impacted — sandy beaches gone, coastal habitats lost, neighborhoods wiped out, and transportation corridors flooded.
More BMP Bike Lanes, Please
Santa Barbara community members showed up in force on Thursday, October 29 to express their concerns about a new “watered down” version of the Bicycle Master Plan at a special joint meeting of the City’s Transportation and Circulation Committee and the Planning Commission.
WIN: Help speed the transition to electric vehicles #driveclean
In 2019, CEC was able to have follow-up conversations with our Electric Drive 805 partners and work with them to streamline permitting for EV charging stations. This laid the groundwork for Electric Drive 805 to launch the South Central Coast CALeVIP program in 2021, providing $12 million in new state funding to build new EV charging stations in our region.
Battling Climate Change with Healthy Soils
CEC is excited to announce that, in partnership with the Ventura County Resource Conservation District, the Limoneira Company, Agromin, and the UC Cooperative Extension, we have been awarded a grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture to study and demonstrate the benefits of soil health and “carbon farming” practices in Ventura County.
A Workplace Charging Station Win
Dona is an Oxnard resident who spent a couple of years planning to purchase an electric vehicle (EV). Motivated by the potential fuel savings and minimal maintenance, as well as her desire to live more sustainably, she had done a lot of research. Then her employer, the Port of Hueneme, installed EV charging stations in their parking lot. She decided to make the leap.
An Interview with a Happy BMW i3 Owner
CEC sat down recently with Krystalin, a Ventura resident who made the switch to a BMW i3. Below, she shares what motivated her to buy an all-electric vehicle, how it fits her daily life, why she sees herself as an EV advocate, and what challenges she hopes to see alleviated in the future as clean transportation becomes the norm.
Local Governments Say Yes to Electric Vehicles
CEC has long been on the front lines of advocating and developing infrastructure for a transition to electric vehicles in our region. This year has seen big strides with local governments adopting strategies to move their fleets to electric vehicles and to provide more charging access to employees and the public.
Santa Barbara Bicycle Master Plan Progress
Nearly every seat in the house was taken at the Santa Barbara City Council on Tuesday, July 21, 2019 for the Bicycle Master Plan (BMP) hearing. Learn more about the plan, community suggestions, and next steps.
Combatting Hunger and Pollution with CalRecycle Grant
Food waste makes up nearly 20 percent of California’s disposal stream. At CEC, we are proud to share we were one of 36 grant recipients chosen by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to work toward projects that prevent waste, reduce pollution, and combat climate change by getting good food to Californians who need it.