Press and Media
Media contact: Tia Kordell, Communications Project Manager
Press Releases
SANTA BARBARA, Calif (March 30, 2026) – The Community Environmental Council (CEC) opened enrollment for the Spring 2026 Climate Stewards certification course to engage, inspire, and activate individuals on the Central Coast to join the climate movement.
Fostering local climate leaders has never been more important, as federal environmental protection rollbacks and renewed fossil fuel development threaten to undo years of progress. CEC, a non-profit delivering local environmental solutions for more than 50 years, teaches this UC-certified course to help anyone — students, teachers, retirees, professionals, and more — turn their eco-anxiety into meaningful action.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif (February 18, 2026) – The Community Environmental Council (CEC) is hosting a variety of spring events at its Environmental Hub (1219 State St.) as part of A Year of Active Hope — a 2026 event series designed to unite the community around climate solutions, creative expression, and hands-on learning. The spring offerings include film screenings, panels, workshops, community-powered repair fairs, experiential art sessions, and more, creating opportunities for residents of all ages to take meaningful climate action.
3 de febrero, 2026 (SANTA BÁRBARA, CALIFORNIA) — El Festival del Día de la Tierra en Santa Bárbara tendrá lugar en el Parque Alameda el sábado 25 de abril de 11:00 a.m. a 8:00 p.m. y el domingo 26 de abril de 11:00 a.m. a 7:00 p.m., 2026. Ahora en su 56.º año, el festival organizado por la comunidad es una de las celebraciones más longevas del Día de la Tierra en la nación y una de las más grandes de la Costa Oeste.
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Upcoming Events
Looking for a fun way to celebrate and protect the coast this summer? Join the Summer of Ocean Love Scavenger Hunt, a free, all-ages adventure featuring ocean-inspired missions across Santa Barbara County. Using the GooseChase app, participants can complete challenges such as creating ocean-themed art, joining beach cleanups, spotting local wildlife, learning about coastal conservation, and visiting community organizations like CEC. Missions are available in both English and Spanish, and new challenges will be added throughout the summer.
Join us for a contemplative evening of creativity, connection, and nature-inspired expression at Co-Creating with Nature: A Mindful Art Experience, part of the Embodied Arts Workshop Series. Led by Santa Barbara-based artist and mindfulness facilitator Kathy Leader, this workshop invites participants to slow down, observe the natural world, and explore drawing through a playful, unique, and imaginative lens. Guided by the lines, curves, and textures of plant materials, participants will imagine themselves as insects navigating the landscape, creating lively drawings without the need for prior art experience. As we create together in community, we’ll reflect on our own interconnectedness with all living things.
Join us for September’s Climate Fridays Santa Barbara as we celebrate National Drive Electric Month and explore the latest opportunities to make the switch to an electric vehicle. Climate Mitigation Program Manager Sean McArthur will share updates on EV rebates and incentives, including California’s new MyFirstEV program, which will provide first-time EV buyers with a $3,500 point-of-sale rebate, and the upcoming CPUC RIDE (Rideshare Incentives for Driving Electric) program. You’ll also hear about upcoming local events and car shows to check out EV options in person.
Join the Community Environmental Council (CEC) for an evening with Dr. Leah Stokes, associate professor at UC Santa Barbara, policy director of The 2035 Initiative, and author of The Carbon Wave: A Story of Democracy, Parenthood, and the Race to Protect Our Planet. In her forthcoming book, Stokes takes readers behind the scenes of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the largest federal climate law in American history, tracing the political victories, setbacks, and tense negotiations that shaped its passage. Told through the perspectives of three new parents, and weaving in her own experience with a high-risk pregnancy, Stokes storytelling combines a memoir-style narrative with an intimate look at the people and moments that defined this pivotal chapter in climate policy.
Our Climate Stewards program is your chance to become a leader in the climate movement and turn concern for our planet into meaningful local action. Addressing the climate crisis takes many of us — non-profit leaders and staff, professionals, business owners, recent college graduates, retirees, high school students, and community members — to work together. Anyone can be a Climate Steward! Register to join a cohort of motivated changemakers, explore climate solutions through lessons and field trips, and design a personal Stewardship Project that makes a difference in your community.
Join the Community Environmental Council for Green Gala 2026, an unforgettable evening celebrating community, connection, and climate action on California's Central Coast.
Inspired by the theme Rooted in Hope, this year's event will bring together community leaders, philanthropists, business partners, and climate advocates for an evening of meaningful connection and support for local climate solutions.
Guests will enjoy a lively welcome reception and Green Gala Market, exceptional local wine, live auction experiences, and a seasonal, climate-smart dinner created by Elizabeth Poett of Rancho San Julian and The Ranch Table, prepared in partnership with Duo Catering.
Proceeds support CEC's work advancing clean energy, climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, and environmental leadership throughout the region.
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are now available.
Join us for Repair Cafe Santa Barbara, a completely free, community-powered event where volunteers help fix broken items instead of sending them to the landfill. Bring up to two items —such as clothing, electronics, bikes, furniture, toys, small appliances, or knives for sharpening —and work alongside skilled fixers to bring them back to life.
Join CEC, the Society of Fearless Grandmothers Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara Sierra Club on the first Friday of each month to gather with fellow climate activists, students, allies, community partners, and friends.
Join the Community Environmental Council (CEC) as we welcome the UC Environmental Stewards Statewide Conference to Santa Barbara this fall. Bringing together climate changemakers from across California, the conference will feature keynote presentations, hands-on workshops, community conversations, and field trips exploring climate resilience, participatory science, and equity in conservation. CEC is proud to serve as the local partner for this gathering. CEC CEO Sigrid Wright will join Mia Lopez, Chumash Cultural Educator and Founding Director of Su’nan Protection, to welcome attendees on opening day. CEC Director of Education and Operations Kathi King will also lead a workshop highlighting how CEC’s Climate Stewards course empowers community members to take climate action.
Join CEC, the Society of Fearless Grandmothers Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara Sierra Club on the first Friday of each month to gather with fellow climate activists, students, allies, community partners, and friends.