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April 15 — CEC Climate Stewards Registration: Sow the Seeds of Climate Action this Spring

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2026 • Comments Off

Become a CEC Climate Steward!

Sow the seeds of climate action this Spring.

You’re not alone in wanting to make a difference for our planet. Register for the Community Environmental Council’s (CEC) Climate Stewards Certification Program this spring to build the skills, knowledge, and community to move from awareness to meaningful climate action.

Over eight weeks of online classes and in-person field trips, you’ll gain access to resources and opportunities to get involved in the climate movement, while building connections and learning how to communicate effectively about the climate crisis. You’ll also deepen your understanding of the science and psychology behind climate change and join a supportive network of alumni. The course culminates in a personalized Stewardship Project, where you’ll apply what you’ve learned to take real climate action in your community.

CEC is proud to be the first and only nonprofit on the California Central Coast to offer this certification program, in partnership with the University of California Environmental Stewards program. Whether you’re a nonprofit leader, business professional, college or high school student, retiree, or engaged community member, the course empowers individuals from all backgrounds to advance bold climate solutions, starting at the local level.

Join our next Climate Stewards cohort that begins

Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

Know someone who’d be interested in joining you?
Forward this email to a friend or colleague.

Anyone can be a Climate Steward!

“When we come together and raise our voices, accountability follows, and our communities grow stronger because of it. Climate Stewards gave me a platform to amplify those voices and prove young people can lead in the climate justice movement.”

– Lauren Leland, Organizer

After moving to Santa Barbara, Lauren was eager to plug into the local climate movement. The Climate Stewards course offered a clear entry point into the regional climate landscape, a supportive network of peers, and hands-on experience building momentum for change.

Lauren’s Stewardship Project grew from a desire to hold fossil fuel companies accountable. Inspired by successful efforts across the country and mentored by Climate First: Replacing Oil and Gas (CFROG) in Ventura, she and fellow Climate Steward alum Danae Hogg brought the “Make Polluters Pay” campaign to Santa Barbara. At CEC’s Environmental Hub, they facilitated kickoff meetings, mobilized local partners, and helped launch a grassroots campaign that engaged the broader community, elevated youth voices, and pushed for local policy change.

In October 2025, Lauren helped organize a Make Polluters Pay student walkout, standing alongside teenage activists like Ethan Maday, demanding climate accountability. Soon after, both the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors and Santa Barbara City Council passed resolutions to support California’s Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act.

Meet all of our alumni

Course Details

Next Cohort: Spring 2026, April 15 – June 3

Format: Online classes via Zoom + in-person field trips

Frequency: Classes on Wednesdays: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. PDT; three to four field trips on weekends: two hours plus travel time

Cost: $360; 50% 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.

Know a teacher who would benefit from this course?
? Share this opportunity

Instructor: Kathi King

Teaching Assistant: Maeve Merwin

Other Opportunities

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!

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:

Provide clean air during smoke events
Act as cooling locations during extreme heat
Distribute food
Serve as an emergency shelter or hub for emergency services
Facilitate disaster preparedness training and neighborhood organizing
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 Upcoming Events

Embodied Arts Workshop Series: 5Rhythms^® Dance Experience

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

CEC’s Environmental Hub

1219 State St., Santa Barbara

Part of the Embodied Arts Workshop Series, this empowering dance experience invites you to move, release, and reconnect with your body in a safe and inclusive environment. Co-hosted by CEC and led by 5Rhythms^®teacher KiaOra Fox — a lifelong dancer who brings over 20 years of teaching experience — this immersive workshop blends guided movement with intuitive exploration. The climate crisis can feel overwhelming, but dance is a tool to bring us back into the body — when we move in rhythm, we spark joy, build community, and remember we are a part of the Earth, not separate from it. Whether you’re new to dance or a seasoned mover, KiaOra’s grounded and compassionate facilitation creates space for everyone to explore at their own pace. Learn more and register.

Christopher F. Jones Lecture: The Invention of Infinite Growth

Thursday, April 9, 2026

6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

CEC’s Environmental Hub

1219 State St., Santa Barbara

Join CEC and UC Santa Barbara’s Center for Restorative Environmental Work (CREW) Lab of CLAIR for an eye-opening lecture with author and environmental historian Christopher F. Jones. In his latest book, The Invention of Infinite Growth, he explores how the relentless drive for economic growth is pushing ecological limits. We invite readers, environmental enthusiasts, and all curious minds to come and engage with key questions about sustainability, Earth’s future, and how the choices we make as a society affect our world. Learn more and register.

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.

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.