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Only One Week Left to Join the CEC Climate Stewards Winter 2026 Cohort!
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Enroll now to join a supportive climate community and begin your leadership journey on January 27.
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The Community Environmental Council’s (CEC) Winter 2026 Climate Stewards cohort begins in just one week! This is your final opportunity to join a growing community of climate advocates turning concern for our planet into meaningful, local action. You don’t need a background in science, advocacy, or policy to join — just a desire to learn, connect, and collaborate to amplify climate action.
Over eight weeks of online classes and in-person field trips, CEC Climate Stewards gain practical tools they can carry forward, including clearer confidence when talking about climate issues, a deeper understanding of local challenges and solutions, and a completed Stewardship Project rooted in their own community. Rather than passive learning, the course is designed to help participants translate their passion into action that feels grounded, sustainable, and impactful.
As 2026 begins — and as CEC launches its Year of Active Hope — this cohort offers an opportunity to start the year feeling connected and engaged in climate progress rather than isolated and overwhelmed. Enrollment is nearly full. If this feels like the right moment to step into your climate action journey, we are ready and eager to welcome you.
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Join our next Climate Stewards cohort that begins January 27, 2025.
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Anyone can be a Climate Steward!
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“While national and state policies are important for implementing change, the actions taken at a local level are what help build the grassroots momentum for larger-scale work. Every Climate Stewards graduate strengthens our community and helps us make a bigger collective difference.”
– Kyle Richards, Public Servant
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As an Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) board trustee, Kyle was already advocating for sustainability, but he knew passion alone wouldn’t move an institution. He enrolled in our Climate Stewards course to gain the strategic frameworks, collaborative support, and momentum needed to turn climate values into measurable action.
His Stewardship Project initially focused on implementing a “Green Fleet” policy, but the course helped him realize that transportation was just one piece of a much larger systems-level opportunity. To meaningfully align SBCC with California’s climate goals, Kyle broadened his focus to updating the college’s Sustainability Plan — unchanged since 2018. As he engaged colleagues and community members, Kyle saw two key Climate Stewards lessons come to life: local action drives broader change, and collaboration amplifies impact.
That momentum is already paying off. In December 2025, the SBCC Board of Trustees approved a contract for sustainability benchmarking services and the completion of a STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) Report. This framework will measure the college’s sustainability performance and guide updates to its climate action goals, laying the foundation for lasting environmental progress.
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Next Cohort: Winter 2026, January 27 – March 17
Format: Online classes via Zoom + in-person field trips
Frequency: Classes on Tuesdays: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. PST; three to four field trips on weekends: two hours plus travel time
Cost: $360; Scholarships are available to Central Coast residents who express financial need. For 2026: nine scholarships are available for K-12 teachers in Santa Barbara County.
Instructor: Kathi King
Teaching Assistant: Ali Hanson
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New Scholarship Funding for K–12 Teachers
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We’re excited to share a new opportunity for K-12 teachers to join the Climate Stewards course at no cost! We’ve been selected as a subawardee on a UC Santa Barbara grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. As part of this partnership, we have funding for nine full scholarships for K-12 teachers who enroll in a Climate Stewards course during 2026 while funding lasts.
If you’re a classroom educator — or you know someone who is — this is a special opportunity to participate with a full scholarship. K-12 teachers can indicate their eligibility directly on the course registration form.
Know a teacher who would benefit from this course?
? Share this opportunity
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Repair Cafe Santa Barbara
Saturday, January 24, 2026
10:00 – 1:00 p.m.
CEC Environmental Hub
1219 State St., Santa Barbara
Join us for Repair Cafe Santa Barbara, a free, community-powered event where volunteers come together to fix broken treasures instead of tossing them away. Bring your worn-out clothes, appliances, toys, electronics, bikes, furniture, and more. The team of talented fixers will help you bring them back to life. This hands-on event is all about learning, sharing skills, and keeping items out of the landfill. This is not a drop-off service — we invite you to bring up to two broken items, roll up your sleeves, and take part in the repair process! Learn more.
Climate Fridays Santa Barbara
Friday, February 6, 2026
4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
CEC’s Environmental Hub
1219 State St., Santa Barbara
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. We aim to create a space where individuals can learn about regional climate change issues, take collective action, and collaborate to protect our planet. February’s gathering features a presentation from 3CE’s Director of Legislative and External Affairs Das Williams. The Society of Fearless grandmothers will also be sharing a teaser for their new film. Learn more and register.
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Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival
Saturday – Sunday, April 25 – 26, 2026
Alameda Park
1400 Santa Barbara St., Santa Barbara
Now in its 56th year, the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival is among the longest-running Earth Day celebrations in the nation and one of the largest on the West Coast.
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The event draws more than 30,000 attendees and 150+ eco-friendly exhibitors for a vibrant weekend jam packed with live music and speakers, CEC’s Environmental Hero Award ceremony, a robust Green Car Show, a plant-forward food court and beer garden, and family-friendly programming. Presented by the Community Environmental Council and CarpEvents. Learn more.
Register to exhibit.
Sign up to volunteer.
Become a sponsor.
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Host Your 2026 Events at CEC’s Environmental Hub — Reserve Your Preferred Dates Now
This year, plan your events with intention. Host your gathering at The Hub, a beautiful and meaningful space available to non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies, where every event directly supports a climate-safe future for the Central Coast.
Located on downtown Santa Barbara’s vibrant State Street, this eco-friendly venue is designed for connection, collaboration, and celebration — from team meetings and workshops to film screenings, panels, and community gatherings. We’re proud to offer competitive, mission-aligned rates that make high-quality event space accessible to organizations doing public-benefit work.
Every booking helps power CEC’s efforts to advance bold climate solutions. Our 2026 calendar is filling quickly — explore rates and availability and reserve your preferred dates today.
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Non-profit Office Space Available
Are you a non-profit looking for a downtown Santa Barbara office space? Located at 1219 State Street, this ground-floor office in the Community Environmental Council’s Environmental Hub is a vibrant, inspiring space for work and collaboration.
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Work alongside CEC, White Buffalo Land Trust, Human Rights Watch, and other local organizations in this exciting location. Non-profit tenant required. Competitive rates. See more photos of the space.
To learn more or schedule a tour, contact: Kathi King, kking@cecmail.org
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Become a Resilience Hub and Help Your Community Prepare for Disasters
The California Central Coast faces growing challenges from extreme heat, wildfire smoke, flooding, and poor air quality. Community resilience hubs — trusted local spaces like schools, libraries, community centers, and churches — can provide aid and resources before, during, and after these events. CEC can help activate your site to:
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Provide clean air during smoke events
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Act as cooling locations during extreme heat
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Distribute food
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Serve as an emergency shelter or hub for emergency services
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Facilitate disaster preparedness training and neighborhood organizing
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Host off-grid charging during power outages or shutdowns
Take our short survey to learn more and get support or use our toolkit to get started today.
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Support Critical Work Like This
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Recognized as a 2020 California Nonprofit of the Year and a City of Santa Barbara Climate Hero, CEC is led by CEO Sigrid Wright, 2022 Congressional Woman of the Year. See our most recent impact report to learn how we are serving California’s Central Coast by advancing rapid and equitable solutions to the climate crisis.
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Learn more about how you can invest in CEC’s work to accelerate regional climate solutions at cecsb.org/donate.
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