Blog
A space for learning.
Navigating by New Constellations
Lately, with our collective navigational instruments on the blink, dials spinning uselessly, I awake from sleep and find myself curled into the shape of a question mark, as if to reflect back all the unknowns of this time.
Unraveling the Kinks in the Local Food Chain to Build and Sustain a Resilient Food System
Like a heat map, the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to areas of strain, places where we need to pay greater attention. One of the most noticeable of these is the food system.
The Long Emergency
Recently it’s felt like we’ve been living in a near-constant state of emergency. In fact I have on my nightstand a book of that title – Living in the Long Emergency, which I have yet to read. The truth is that the joint crises of a global pandemic, a deeply flawed economic system, structural racism, fraying political institutions, and growing climate chaos don't leave me with a lot of enthusiasm for this as a bedtime story.
Burn Your Maps
After months of pandemic-induced disruption at so many levels, I find it liberating to realize that the times we are in may just be demanding that we let go of where we wish we were, set a new course, and burn our old maps for fuel.
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.
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.
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.
The Oil Spill Heard ‘Round the World
On the 50th anniversary of the Santa Barbara Oil Spill, CEC's Executive Director Sigrid Wright and the Environmental Defense Center Chief Counsel Linda Krop speak to the need for "swift and all-encompassing action to heal our planet and prevent further harmful climate disruption."
Marking 50 Years of Environmental Leadership on the SB Oil Spill Anniversary
On January 28, 1969 an oil blowout in the Santa Barbara channel sparked a worldwide environmental movement.
CEC formed in response shortly after and has been rallying the community to action ever since. Watch the January 27, 2019 community gathering.