March 6 — Community Environmental Council (CEC) to present March Climate Fridays Santa Barbara: Local Land Conservation in Action, more news

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March Climate Fridays Santa Barbara: Local Land Conservation in Action

Join conservation leaders to learn about regional biodiversity efforts and how you can support.

Friday, March 6, 2026

4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

CEC’s Environmental Hub

1219 State St., Santa Barbara

The climate challenges we face are unfolding in real time, directly impacting the landscapes that sustain our communities and ecosystems. This Friday, join us for an empowering conversation on local land conservation at Climate Fridays Santa Barbara. Hosted by the Community Environmental Council (CEC), the Society of Fearless Grandmothers Santa Barbara, and the Sierra Club Santa Barbara-Ventura Chapter, this gathering will spotlight how protecting land strengthens biodiversity, advances climate solutions, and safeguards the places we love.

Eric Cardenas, Director of Impact and Advocacy at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, will moderate an extraordinary panel of local conservation leaders, including:

• Meredith Hendricks, Executive Director of The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County

• Melissa Baffa, Executive Director of Ventura Land Trust

• Candice Meneghin, Executive Director of Coastal Ranches Conservancy

They’ll explore how land-based conservation nonprofits collaborate to advance regional biodiversity goals and climate policy. You’ll hear hopeful, forward-looking perspectives as well as concrete ways you can engage and support this vital work.

Climate Fridays Santa Barbara are part of CEC’s A Year of Active Hope — our commitment to turning climate concern into opportunities for collective action all year long. You’ll leave with renewed optimism, practical ways to engage, and a stronger sense of community around protecting our planet.

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.

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:

1. Provide clean air during smoke events

2. Act as cooling locations during extreme heat

3. Distribute food

4. Serve as an emergency shelter or hub for emergency services

5. Facilitate disaster preparedness training and neighborhood organizing

6. Host off-grid charging during power outages or shutdowns

Learn more about Community Resilience Hubs, take our short survey, and use our toolkit to get started today.

Other Events

Students in grades six through 12 who are ready to take meaningful climate action are invited to a free, hands-on workshop at CEC’s Environmental Hub. Join CEC and Santa Barbara High School’s Environmental Advocacy Club to learn how you can help advance the proposed oil and gas production phase-out in Santa Barbara County. Sierra Club Santa Barbara–Ventura Chapter Chair and CEC Climate Stewards alum Maureen Ellenberger will share the latest updates on the proposed phase-out and practical ways students can get involved. Participants will also take part in an interactive Climate Solutions Mapping activity to explore climate solutions, identify opportunities for impact, and collaborate with peers on strategies to strengthen climate resilience in their community. Along with free snacks and community service hours, students will leave with new connections, practical tools, and clear pathways to engage in the climate movement. Learn more and register.

The PBS series Wild Hope spotlights changemakers around the world who are restoring our Earth and reimagining our relationship with nature. Through captivating storytelling, episodes explore bold solutions and collaborations, showcase nature’s resilience, and spark renewed hope for the future of our planet. We’ll screen Episode 44: City in Nature, which shows how Singapore is integrating urban living with biodiversity by carving out wildlife habitats amidst the built environment. CEC’s Bre Sliker will share her insights on regional biodiversity efforts, connecting the global conversation to Santa Barbara County. We’ll also watch Episode 38: Significant Otters, where the return of sea otters to Elkhorn Slough sparks a remarkable ecological recovery. The Nature Conservancy’s Dr. Phoebe Racine will provide updates on local initiatives aimed at restoring our wetlands following the screening. We hope you’ll join us for this evening of optimism and inspiration! Learn more and register.

Clean Air Ride & Drive

Saturday, March 14, 2026

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Goleta Community Center

5679 Hollister Ave., Goleta

Experience the future of clean driving at the Goleta Ride & Drive, a free, hands-on event where you can test drive all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Explore state and local incentives that make EV ownership more affordable, enjoy tasty bites from local food vendors, and connect with experts from CEC for in-person guidance on EV incentives and applications. Bring your driver’s license — and if you’d like help with the Driving Clean Assistance Program Application, also bring your most recent tax returns, current vehicle title, and vehicle registration. Everyone who tests drives an EV at this event will be entered to win a $200 VISA gift card. Save time at the Ride & Drive check-in by completing your waiver in advance and fill out the DCAP application assistance registration form for support with incentives.

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 and register.

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.

Support Critical Work Like This

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.

Learn more about how you can invest in CEC’s work to accelerate regional climate solutions at cecsb.org/donate.