Community Environmental Council (CEC)

Become a CEC Climate Steward!
September 11, 2024 – October 30, 2024

🌱 CEC is proud to be the first and only nonprofit on the Central Coast to deliver the Climate Stewards certification program.

Taking bold measures to stop the climate crisis requires all of us—non-profit leaders, professionals, recent college graduates, retirees, and community members—to work together. CEC’s Climate Stewards program is designed to provide participants with the tools needed to take individual and collective action that makes an impact.
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Learn more and apply: https://cecsb.org/climate-stewards
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📸 Maxx Hennard

Become a CEC Climate Steward!
September 11, 2024 – October 30, 2024

🌱 CEC is proud to be the first and only nonprofit on the Central Coast to deliver the Climate Stewards certification program.
Taking bold measures to stop the climate crisis requires all of us—non-profit leaders, professionals, recent college graduates, retirees, and community members—to work together. CEC’s Climate Stewards program is designed to provide participants with the tools needed to take individual and collective action that makes an impact.
⁠
Learn more and apply at the link in bio!
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📸 Maxx Hennard

Preserving our Central California Coast for future generations requires hope and collective action. Join us on September 21, 2024, for our annual Green Gala and be inspired by the climate work underway–and the next generation poised to see it through.

Featuring a seated dinner of climate-smart cuisine, inspired cocktails, and fine local wine, youth climate activists and a youth-led rock band performance, live auction, and after-party… you don’t want to miss this evening of regeneration at the Funk Zone’s newest event venue. ✨

This is your call to action. Are you with us?

Tickets and sponsorships on sale now: https://cecsb.org/green-gala 💚

💚 Nearly 100 people joined us for the Santa Barbara premiere of the documentary “Plastic People,” a film about the impacts of plastic on human bodies. Thanks to our partners at Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, Sunkissed Pantry, Earth Advocates, and The Daisy, and to everyone in attendance for their engagement and passion for this issue.

Hablemos sobre recargar un vehículo eléctrico (VE) en casa y de cómo obtener fondos para instalar un cargador 🚘🔌

Hay mucho por considerar cuando se trata de instalar un cargador para un VE en casa. ¡Estamos aquí para ayudar! Nuestro equipo de Electrifica tu Vida ofrece apoyo individual para ayudarte a decidir qué cargador prefieres, encontrar reembolsos e incentivos para los que calificas y guiarte a lo largo de todo el proceso de solicitud de fondos. Nuestros servicios son totalmente gratuitos y sin compromiso -¡verdaderamente estamos aquí para ayudar!

Da clic aquí https://cec.pub/1bespfb para electrificar tu camino ⚡



https://youtu.be/USN1D1gL54U

- YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Join us Sunday, August 11 at 6:00 p.m. for an inspiring presentation and discussion with agroecologist, author, and educator Nicole Masters about the crucial role of community in soil stewardship and environmental resilience.

🌱 Nicole will highlight the power of community-driven efforts in revitalizing soil health and promoting sustainable practices. Explore the unseen world beneath our feet and learn how all environmental concerns ultimately connect to soil health. Learn more and purchase tickets: https://cecsb.org/events/an-evening-with-nicole-masters-envisioning-a-new-future-through-soil-resilience-community-and-connection

🌎 Did you miss last week's webinar, "The Plastic Crisis: Science and Solutions?"

CEC’s Kathi King and Plastic Free Future founders Dr. Matt Warren and Alejandra Warren discussed the science behind the plastic crisis and solutions that can lead us to a healthier, cleaner, and plastic-free future, including:

- Lifestyle changes that cut plastics out of your life
- Collective actions that can increase access to sustainable choices
- Advocating for policy change to hold companies accountable

Watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/LfSmLIbDwdM

Check out the resources toolkit: https://cecsb.org/webinars/the-plastic-crisis-science-and-solutions

The Plastic Crisis: Science and Solutions Plastic is everywhere. As a result, our bodies and natural systems contain multitudes of harmful microplastics. In addition, fossil fuel-based plastic manufa...

Let’s talk about at-home EV charging and how to get funding to install a charger 🚘🔌

There is a lot to consider when installing an EV charger at your home. We’re here to help! Our Electrify Your Life team offers one-on-one support to help you figure out what charger you want, identify the rebates and incentives you qualify for, and walk you through the funding application process. Our services are totally free and there are no commitments - we are truly just here to help!

Click the link to get started on your electric journey: https://cec.pub/video1afb ⚡



https://youtu.be/nIjOmJcnwy8?feature=shared

Let’s Talk About At-Home EV Charging! Let’s talk about at-home EV charging and how to get funding to install a charger.There is a lot to consider when installing an EV charger at your home. We’re...

Are you a renter interested in electrification or trying to reduce your home energy use? Join 3C-REN to discuss actions you can take to save money and lower your energy use.

Attendees will learn about:
- Renter-friendly actions to reduce home energy use
- Ways to reduce natural gas in the home
- Using the DIY energy savings toolkits from 3C-REN
- Borrowing a portable induction cooktop from your local library
- Climate-friendly tips from Resilient Central Coast

Don’t miss out—register now: https://www.3c-ren.org/event/renters-guide-to-creating-an-energy-efficient-home/

CEC had a wonderful time celebrating the launch of BlueDot Living Santa Barbara and the first annual Santa Barbara Green Guide at our Environmental Hub in downtown Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Green Guide is a local publication released by the Santa Barbara Independent in collaboration with Bluedot Living Santa Barbara and CEC. It highlights sustainable solutions, climate updates, and local climate stories. Speakers at the event included Vicki Riskin, president and founder of BlueDot Living, Marianne Partridge, editor-in-chief of the Santa Barbara Independent, and CEC's CEO and executive director, Sigrid Wright. We are thrilled to collaborate with organizations focused on solutions, hope, and strong local leadership! 💚✨

Learn more about the Santa Barbara Green Guide: https://santabarbara.bluedotliving.com/2024/06/13/welcome-letter-good-day-santa-barbara/

📸 Santa Barbara Independent

For the health of our planet and the people living on it, we need to drastically reduce the amount of plastics entering the environment and our bodies. We need inclusive solutions that effectively reduce production and encourage reuse. 💚🌎

Join CEC and Plastic Free Future founders Alejandra Warren (CEC’s 2024 Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival Environmental Hero) and Dr. Matt Warren for a webinar to learn about the science behind the plastic crisis and to discuss solutions that can lead us to a healthier, cleaner, and plastic-free future.

Register now: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1017199413628/WN_TkiacoJ1RfyfvH9cNfrvhw

📢 Support ambitious climate action in the City of Santa Barbara!

Tell the City Council to adopt the revised Climate Action Plan. This plan will help the city reach its carbon neutrality goal by 2035.

How you can support:
- Attend the City Council Meeting on July 2 in person or via Zoom

- Send an email supporting the plan by Monday, July 1 at 5:00 p.m. to [email protected]

Find all the meeting information and helpful talking points to craft your comment: https://cec.pub/sbaction

Be water-wise this summer! Upgrading to efficient dishwashers and washing machines or converting to drip irrigation can save big on water and your water bill. Explore water rebates, incentives, and helpful tips at https://www.resilientcentralcoast.org/.

"One of the principles promoted by the Community Environmental Council’s (CEC) Ecological Framework for Revitalizing Santa Barbara’s City Core is creating a rich and abundant mix of nature — plants, trees, birds, and insects. The preference is for native plants because these require less water and less maintenance, and because they are hardier."

Read from Dennis Allen in the Santa Barbara Independent about the importance of utilizing mini forests in the City of Santa Barbara to improve our air quality, protect us from heat, and beautify our spaces: https://www.independent.com/2024/06/06/benefits-from-urban-mini-forests/

Plus! Read the article and CEC's Ecological Framework for Revitalizing Santa Barbara’s City Core: https://cecsb.org/ecological-framework-for-revitalizing-santa-barbara

📸 Santa Barbara Independent

Benefits from Urban Mini-Forests Low costs, fast results, and great enjoyment. Why not?

Are you interested in simple solutions to collectively ? 🌎💚

Join our Plastic-Free Expo on June 27 to connect with local organizations working on plastic-free initiatives and learn how you can help!

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/929334924777?aff=oddtdtcreator



Santa Barbara Channelkeeper

The Community Environmental Council and Blue Tomorrow conducted our first session of soil sampling in Guadalupe! At the peak of the agricultural season, it's important to begin testing for pesticide drift, particularly in areas where community members use the space for school or outdoor activities in local parks. As part of the Guadalupe Air Monitoring Project, we initiated testing for pesticide drift/exposure in common community spaces. Over the next few months, we will analyze these samples chemically and conduct a second soil sampling session open to some community members.

Follow us to stay updated and attend any upcoming events! Results from the soil sampling and continuous air quality monitoring in Guadalupe will be shared in October at our second Family Day event.

¡El Consejo Ambiental Comunitario y Blue Tomorrow llevaron a cabo nuestra primera sesión de muestreo del suelo en Guadalupe! En el pico de la temporada agrícola, es importante comenzar las pruebas de deriva de pesticidas, especialmente en las zonas donde los miembros de la comunidad utilizan el espacio para la escuela o actividades al aire libre en los parques locales. Como parte del Proyecto de Monitoreo del Aire de Guadalupe, iniciamos pruebas de deriva/exposición a pesticidas en espacios comunes de la comunidad. En los próximos meses, analizaremos químicamente estas muestras y llevaremos a cabo una segunda sesión de muestreo del suelo abierta a algunos miembros de la comunidad.

¡Síganos para estar al día y asistir a los próximos eventos! Los resultados del muestreo del suelo, así como el control continuo de la calidad del aire en Guadalupe, se darán a conocer en octubre en nuestro segundo Día de la Familia.

The Community Environmental Council’s (CEC) Environmental Hub is a vibrant nexus for advocacy, innovation, and community empowerment in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. Its state-of-the-art facilities were designed to provide collaborative space for gatherings of all kinds.

Host your next event, meeting, or community gathering at CEC’s Environmental Hub!

Book space for:
- Receptions
- Company socials
- Conferences
- Small banquets
- Meetings
- Lectures
- Film screenings
- And more!

Learn more at https://www.envirohubsb.org/

📚💚 Meet Ed Humes, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of “Total Garbage: How We Can Fix Our Waste and Heal Our World.” Ed will discuss how cutting waste can upgrade our lives and save our planet, offering practical tips to reduce your impact.

Learn more and register: https://cec.pub/totalgarbage



📸 Ed Humes

Dr. Flávia Maia — Obama Scholar and Dalai Lama Fellow — believes that amidst our legitimate concerns of a climate collapse, we also need spaces of joy and possibility. 💚

Join Dr. Maia again at CEC's Environmental Hub to offer a healing space through meditation practices and readings of excerpts from "Emotions and Emission: The Values Guiding the Next Generation of Climate Leaders."

Learn more and register: https://cec.pub/flaviamaia

La Dra. Flávia Maia, Erudita Obama, aprendiz del Dalai Lama, cree que, a pesar de nuestras preocupaciones legítimas sobre el colapso ambiental, también necesitamos espacios de gozo y posibilidad. 💚

Acompaña a la Dra. Maia nuevamente en el Centro Ambiental del CEC para ofrendar un espacio de sanación a través de prácticas de meditación y lecturas de pasajes de “Emociones y Emisión: Los valores que guían a la nueva generación de líderes ambientales.”

Conoce más y regístrate: https://cec.pub/flaviamaia

Thank you to everyone who attended the Guadalupe Clean Air Fair on May 18 💚🎉

We enjoyed learning about the impact of air pollutants and pesticides, reviewing Guadalupe's air quality over the past year, sharing resources for farm workers, and checking out the fresh produce from the mobile farmers market.

Thanks to our partners for helping create a fun, educational, family-friendly event!

Gracias a todas las personas que asistieron a nuestra Feria del Aire Limpio de Guadalupe el 18 de mayo 💚🎉

Disfrutamos aprender sobre el impacto que tienen los contaminantes y los pesticidas en el aire, repasar los informes de calidad del aire de Guadalupe del año pasado, compartir recursos para campesinos y aprovechar el mercado agrícola móvil que tenía frutas y verduras frescas.

¡Gracias a nuestros colaboradores por ayudarnos a crear un evento divertido, educativo y familiar!

📸 Mar y Sol Productions (marysolproductions.com)

💚 CEC's first Climate Stewards Expo was a big success! The event brought together alumni and current participants to network, share their stewardship projects, listen to some amazing speakers, and connect through their shared Climate Stewards Community of Practice.



📸 Maxx Hennard

🏡💚 Recently, CEC hosted a housing panel with SBCC Extended Learning and the Santa Barbara Independent to discuss sustainable housing development in Santa Barbara. The panel provided excellent information about the barriers and challenges of creating more affordable housing in Santa Barbara. Around 40 community members attended and posed thoughtful questions. The event was recorded by TV Santa Barbara (TVSB) and will be available for viewing within a few weeks.

Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent: https://www.independent.com/2024/05/13/bringing-life-to-santa-barbaras-downtown-by-growing-homes/

Thank you to the City of Guadalupe and the Recreation Department for hosting Guadalupe’s Cinco de Mayo celebration at Leroy Park. The Community Environmental Council provided a booth to share about local air quality and health, as part of the Breathe Better, Live Better project. We shared updates on the air quality monitors and what we learned over the past year. We asked around 100 families how air quality can impact their lives and invited them to Guadalupe’s Clean Air Fair to share, learn, and play. Join us on May 18th at Leroy Park in Guadalupe from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. 🎉💚

Gracias a la ciudad de Guadalupe y el Departamento de Recreación para la celebración del Cinco de Mayo de Guadalupe en el Parque Leroy. El Consejo Comunitario del Medioambiente proporcionó un stand informativo para compartir sobre la calidad del aire local y la salud, como parte del proyecto Respira Mejor, Vive Mejor. Compartimos actualizaciones sobre los monitores de calidad del aire y lo que aprendimos durante el año pasado. Preguntamos a unas 100 familias cómo la calidad del aire puede afectar a sus vidas y les invitamos a la Feria del Aire Limpio de Guadalupe para compartir, aprender y jugar. Únete a nosotros el 18 de mayo en el Parque Leroy en Guadalupe a partir de las 11:00 a.m. hasta las 3:00 p.m. 🎉💚

Congratulations to the City of Goleta Government, who unanimously voted to opt up their municipal accounts to 100% renewable electricity AND passed an electric vehicle reach code. This code will greatly expand access to EV chargers in newly constructed apartments, workplaces, and other buildings. Thanks also to CEC's climate activists, who made public comments and helped ensure renters and others without access to home charging will have more opportunities to own an EV in Goleta.

💚 Want to know more about what we've been doing to tackle climate impacts on California’s Central Coast? This week, we released our 2023 Impact Report, providing a brief snapshot of how we are stepping up our investment in collective power to meet the urgency of the climate crisis and garner significant, lasting change to reverse its impacts. Learn more at cecsb.org/impact.

Thank you to the Family Service Agency and the Guadalupe Community Changers for hosting a panel with the community on pesticides and their impact on our health, as part of the Breathe Better, Live Better project! The Community Changers spoke to a room of 21 Guadalupe residents about their own experiences. The panel also provided insights into how pesticide drift and air quality impact youth, elders, and families with asthma in Guadalupe. We are grateful to the community and their personal stories of how they have been impacted. To learn more, join us on May 18 at Leroy Park starting at 11:00 a.m. for Guadalupe’s Clean Air Fair. 💚

¡Gracias a la Agencia de Servicios Familiares y a los Community Changers de Guadalupe por organizar un panel sobre los pesticidas y su impacto en nuestra salud, como parte del proyecto Respira Mejor, Vive Mejor! Los Community Changers hablaron a una sala de 21 residentes de Guadalupe sobre sus propias experiencias. El panel también proporcionó información sobre cómo la deriva de plaguicidas y la calidad del aire afectan a los jóvenes, ancianos y familias con asma en Guadalupe. Estamos agradecidos a la comunidad y sus historias personales de cómo han sido impactados. Para obtener más información, únase a nosotros el 18 de mayo en el Parque Leroy a partir de las 11:00 a.m. para la Feria del Aire Limpio de Guadalupe. 💚

📸 Sam Duarte

📢 On Tuesday, May 7, 2024, the City of Goleta Government will vote on two critical initiatives that, if passed, will help accelerate our region’s and the state’s zero-carbon goals.

Agenda Item C.2:
Adopt an EV reach code - Increases EV charging infrastructure in newly constructed buildings.

Agenda Item C.3:
Opt up to 100% Renewable Electricity - Opts up the City of Goleta municipal accounts to 100% renewable electricity through Central Coast Community Energy (3CE).

Please attend the meeting to make public comments or send an email supporting both initiatives! Learn more about how you can participate, and find some tips on drafting your public comment:
https://mailchi.mp/cecsb.org/beaverland-march25-1005585



📸 Meghan Schade

🌞 Visit Leroy Park in Guadalupe on May 18 from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. for a Clean Air Fair! 🎉 Discover valuable health resources and information from our partners and stakeholders.

Bring the family for fun activities like trivia, drawing, and chances to win prizes and candy for the kids!🍬

Learn about air pollution and important air quality facts while enjoying the outdoors. See you there! 🌳

🌞 ¡Visite el Parque Leroy en Guadalupe el 18 de mayo de 11:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. para una Feria del Aire Limpio! 🎉 Descubre valiosos recursos de salud e información de nuestros socios y partes interesadas.

¡Traiga a la familia para actividades divertidas como trivia, dibujo y oportunidades de ganar premios y dulces para los niños! 🍬

Aprende sobre la contaminación atmosférica y datos importantes sobre la calidad del aire mientras disfrutas del aire libre. Nos vemos ahí! 🌳

📸 Mar y Sol Productions (marysolproductions.com)