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April is Earth Month —
Let’s Show Up for Our Planet!
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Reversing the climate crisis requires collective action. Now is the time to get involved.
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Join the Community Environmental Council (CEC) at our Earth Month events to jump into the local climate movement, connect with your community, and take meaningful action together. From festivals and celebrations to lectures and workshops — there’s something for everyone. Browse the full April events line-up below.
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Learn about Marine Protected Areas from local ocean experts and advocates.
Join us to learn about efforts to establish a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Santa Barbara County and how you can take action for the future of our ocean. Hear from local experts from UC Santa Barbara, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Environmental Defense Center as they highlight the importance of MPAs, evaluate California’s current network, and explore opportunities to expand protections.
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Friday, April 3, 4:00 – 5:30?p.m.
CEC’s Environmental Hub
1219 State St, Santa Barbara
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Unpack “The Invention of Infinite Growth” with author Christopher Jones.
Join CEC and UC Santa Barbara’s Center for Restorative Environmental Work (CREW) Lab for an engaging lecture with environmental historian Christopher F. Jones, author of “The Invention of Infinite Growth.” We’ll explore how the relentless drive for economic growth is pushing ecological limits. There will also be an opportunity to get your book signed, with copies available for purchase. Readers, environmental enthusiasts, and all curious minds are invited to come and engage with key questions about sustainability and Earth’s future.
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Thursday, April 9, 6:30 – 8:00?p.m.
CEC’s Environmental Hub
1219 State St, Santa Barbara
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Connect with community at the next Embodied Arts Workshop.
The Embodied Arts Workshop series, part of CEC’s A Year of Active Hope, invites you to explore art, creativity, and connection in a supportive and inclusive space.
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Tuesday, April 28, 6:30 – 8:00?p.m.
CEC’s Environmental Hub
1219 State St, Santa Barbara
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Explore local solutions at the Sustainability Panel Discussion.
Join CEC and Santa Barbara City College Projects in Sustainability Club for a conversation around local sustainability efforts.
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Thursday, April 30, 6:00 – 8:00?p.m.
CEC’s Environmental Hub
1219 State St, Santa Barbara
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Celebrating Earth Day across the Central Coast!
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Ventura Earth Day Festival
Join CEC at the Ventura Earth Day Festival to learn about electric vehicles, test drive the latest models, and be connected to current rebates and incentives.
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Saturday, April 18, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Park Plaza, Ventura
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Chumash Earth Day 2026
Join CEC at Chumash Earth Day 2026 to celebrate community, culture, and sustainability while connecting with local organizations, discovering resources, and finding ways to take action for our planet.
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Saturday, April 18, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Kitiyepumu Park, Santa Ynez
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SLO EarthFest
Join CEC at the SLO EarthFest, hosted by the SLO Climate Coalition, to learn about electric vehicles, test drive the latest models, and be connected to current rebates and incentives.
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Saturday, April 18, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Santa Rosa Park, San Luis Obispo
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Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival
Join CEC at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival to enjoy a vibrant weekend of music, food, and community. Be sure to stop by the CEC booth to plug into local climate action and check out the Green Car Show, where you can explore and even test-drive the latest electric vehicles and clean transportation options.
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Saturday, April 25, 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. &
Sunday, April 26, 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Alameda Park, Santa Barbara
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CEC’s Climate Stewards certification course
starts April 15
If you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to take environmental action in your community, now is the time!
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Watch Lahaina: Voices of Change
Friday, April 3, 2026
7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara
Join Lele Aloha for a documentary film screening and post-film panel discussion. Together, we will gather not only to witness a story but to strengthen connection, deepen understanding, and support a community rebuilding forward. This event serves as a bridge from Lahaina to Santa Barbara, uniting communities who understand the power of place, loss, and renewal. Proceeds from the evening benefit ongoing grassroots recovery efforts serving families in Lahaina and Hawaii. CEC is a sponsor of this event. Learn more and register.
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EV Drivers — We Need Your Input!
The Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition (C5) is compiling its 2025 Annual Alternative Fuel Report and wants to include your EV mileage.
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If you drive an electric vehicle in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, or Ventura counties, please take a few minutes to complete the survey by Friday, April 10, 2026. Your participation helps strengthen regional data and support clean transportation initiatives! Take the survey.
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Job Opportunity: Climate Smart Agriculture Program Manager
Come work with us! CEC is hiring a Climate Smart Agriculture Program Manager to lead innovative projects that expand regenerative farming, reduce carbon emissions, and build climate resilience across the Central Coast. In this role, you’ll work directly with farmers, ranchers, land managers, and technical partners to design and scale real-world climate solutions. You’ll also mentor emerging professionals and help grow partnerships with local governments, advocates, and funders across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties.
This is a full-time, salaried position based in Santa Barbara (hybrid schedule). Apply today or share with someone who should!
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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
Learn more about Community Resilience Hubs, take our short survey, and 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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