Blog
A space for learning.
Selma Rubin: A Force for Change
Selma Rubin holds a special place among environmentalists and social activists in Santa Barbara. She touched many lives, influenced many important issues in our community, and left a lasting legacy.
Paul Relis: A Pioneer for All Seasons
Paul Relis, the Community Environmental Council's first Executive Director, has been instrumental to the organization's growth and evolution over the past 50 years. Paul was born in San Pedro, California, while his family served in the Merchant Marine during World War II. They lived in military housing in Lomita overlooking the giant Wilmington oil refinery complex. After the war the family moved to Long Beach and bought a home in the Naples enclave.
Kathy and Stephanie Yeung: Climate Leadership in Action
It’s one thing to worry about climate change — most of us do. It’s another to get personally involved in efforts to confront the climate crisis and ensure a livable world for future generations, like the Community Environmental Council’s featured donors Kathy and Stephanie Yeung.
Jessica McLernon: Investing in a Livable Future
"A healthy and habitable planet is the best legacy we can leave for our children." This is how Jessica McLernon sums up a guiding motif in her life. She was first attracted to the Community Environmental Council (CEC) because of our organization's 50-year history of successful programs and actions to protect the environment. What she really loves most, however, is CEC's focus on the future through its unwavering commitment to fighting climate change.
Dennis Allen and Jennifer Cushnie: Long Time Climate Crusaders
In this Q&A, Dennis Allen and Jennifer Cushnie describe why climate action is important to them, and how they have facilitated local on-the-ground change for decades. Their story is inspiring, and makes us proud to call the California Central Coast our organizational home.
Kim Kimbell: A Tireless Advocate for the Environment
Kim Kimbell, our legacy donor featured this month, loves nature, is an avid surfer and swimmer, and is a champion of conservation. After growing up in Indiana where he went to law school, he discovered California as the land of endless summer, ultimately moving to Santa Barbara in 1972.
March 10: Speak Up for Environmental Justice in Santa Barbara County
Join us on Tuesday, March 10 to urge Santa Barbara County Supervisors to consider resident feedback and fully address all environmental challenges facing the communities most affected.
Trump’s Energy Policy Isn’t About Security. It’s About Power — and It’s Costing America the Future.
President Trump is once again pushing to expand offshore oil and gas drilling off California’s coast — and calling it “national security.” Californians have heard this before. We also know what it risks: our coastline, our coastal economy, and the climate stability our communities depend on. And offshore drilling isn’t the only front. The same push is now aimed at California’s public lands, proposing to open more than one million acres statewide — including roughly 400,000 acres of parks, beaches, ecological reserves, and surrounding lands on the Central Coast and beyond — to new oil and gas drilling.
From the Birthplace of Earth Day: A Warning and a Way Forward
From the Birthplace of Earth Day: A Warning and a Way Forward
By U.S. Congressman Salud Carbajal and Sigrid Wright, CEO of the Community Environmental Council
In downtown Santa Barbara, less than a block from where one of the first Earth Day festivals took place in 1970, we recently gathered environmental and community leaders around a single question: What happens when Washington, D.C. walks away? We were joined by environmental leaders, policymakers, researchers, city officials, youth leaders, and non-profit advocates. Some arrived carrying hope, others exhaustion, most both. All were there because they could feel something shifting — and not for the better.
Gerrie Clemens Drives a Cleaner Future — While Saving Thousands
As Gerrie brought community members together and learned more about the far-reaching impacts of fossil fuels, she asked herself, “What does it look like to live in alignment with the future we’re fighting for?” The next step felt clear. It was time to say goodbye to her gas-powered car.
Santa Barbara County Votes to Phase Out Oil Drilling
Thanks to your support, on Tuesday, Oct. 21, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors directed staff to develop an ordinance ending new oil drilling in the county. The ordinance process is expected to take about six months. County staff will also begin the process of phasing out existing oil operations by developing an amortization study of existing wells and conducting an environmental review.
Minimalism in Motion: How a Free E-Bike Helped Ben Live with More Intention
For Ben, the decision to switch from a car to an electric bike came from a deeper desire for balance — to reduce his carbon footprint, live with more intention, and reconnect with the simple joy of moving through the world at his own pace.
Building Resilience for the Future with Girls Inc. of Carpinteria
In Carpinteria, where recent emergencies have closed Highway 101 and limited access to the coastal community, Girls Inc. has become a Community Resilience Hub. In an emergency, the campus can host 500 people and supply three days of solar power.
Sachi Cuts Her Car Costs in Half (and Reduces Her Climate Impact)
When Sachi first considered switching to an electric vehicle, her motivation was simple: save money at the pump. But what began as a practical choice quickly became one of the most rewarding and impactful decisions she’s made.
Charlene’s Shift to Sustainable Transportation
Charlene always loved biking. But after undergoing hip replacement surgery, she knew a traditional bike wouldn’t be as easy or enjoyable as it once was. That’s when an electric bike started to feel like the perfect way to stay active and support the environment, without the physical strain.
Marilee Krause Secures Her Dream EV
Marilee Krause wanted to transition from her hybrid Prius to an all-electric vehicle, but thought she couldn’t afford to. Then a close friend reached out to see if she was interested in purchasing their 2017 Chevy Bolt. Marilee had heard about financial incentive programs for electric vehicles but wasn’t sure which she qualified for. At her friend’s suggestion, she reached out to the Community Environmental Council.
Resilience Takes Root in Cuyama
In the remote Cuyama Valley, where emergency services are limited and disasters are increasingly common, Blue Sky Center (BSC) has emerged as a vital Community Resilience Hub. During the recent Madre and Gifford wildfires, BSC hosted firefighters and offered a landing zone for helicopters — helping to drastically speed up response times.
The Beros Go All-In on EVs
When Ventura resident Shelley Bero started car shopping in early 2021, she never expected an electric vehicle to be the most affordable and practical choice. That changed after attending a webinar hosted by the Community Environmental Council (CEC), where she learned how EVs are extremely efficient and can deliver significant cost savings.
The Time Is Right to Switch to an Electric Vehicle
As we watch years of climate progress unravel, state and local action is the only path toward a livable future. Thankfully, there are many impactful ways we can resist these attempts to thwart climate progress. While this may seem small in the scheme of things, one such way is to switch to an electric vehicle.
Santa Barbara County Votes to Phase Out Oil Drilling
Thanks to your support, on Tuesday, May 13, the County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors voted to direct county staff to develop an oil phaseout ordinance. More than two dozen community members attended in-person or virtually to provide public comment, mostly in support of ending oil drilling and phasing out existing wells.