Community Environmental Council (CEC) — We Want to Hear From You: Help Inform CEC’s Critical Climate Work, upcoming events

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We want to hear from YOU!

The survey takes just a few minutes to complete. All questions are optional. As a thank-you, if you complete all of the survey questions and provide your name and email address at the end, you’ll be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card.

Other Events

CEC’s Green Gala

Saturday, September 19

4:30–9 p.m.

Santa Barbara Historical Museum

136 E. De La Guerra St., Santa Barbara

Join us for Green Gala 2026, an unforgettable evening celebrating community, connection, and climate action on California’s Central Coast. Inspired by this year’s theme, Rooted in Hope, guests will enjoy a lively welcome reception and Green Gala Market, exceptional local wine, a climate-smart dinner created by Elizabeth Poett of Rancho San Julian and The Ranch Table in partnership with Duo Catering, live auction experiences, and inspiring stories of local impact. Proceeds support CEC’s work advancing clean energy, climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, and environmental leadership throughout the region. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are now available. Learn more and reserve your place.

Join us for Repair Cafe Santa Barbara, a free, community-powered event where volunteers help to fix your broken treasures. Bring up to two items — such as clothing, electronics, bikes, furniture, toys, small appliances, or knives for sharpening — and work alongside skilled fixers to bring them back to life. This is not a drop-off service; you’ll collaborate directly with an expert volunteer who will assess your item, guide you through the repair process, and share practical skills along the way. Open to the public and designed to empower you to repair your favorite items, this is a hands-on, educational experience rooted in sustainability and community connection. Interested in getting involved? Contact info@repaircafesb.org to volunteer your skills, attend future events, or simply help us spread the word! Learn more.

Join Damian Gallagher for an experiential workshop designed to help you slow down, notice what’s here, and explore how you relate to yourself, others, and the world around you. Through guided reflection, simple relational practices, conversation, and curiosity, we’ll explore what helps us feel more present, open, and connected — including to the natural world and the places we call home. No previous experience is needed. The practices are simple and participatory, with plenty of room to engage in whatever way feels right for you. Come ready to connect, reflect, and get curious about what it means to be here, together. Learn more and register.

Join us for October’s Climate Fridays Santa Barbara as we explore how climate-smart agriculture can build healthier soil, strengthen local farms, and support a more resilient future. CEC Climate-Smart Agriculture Program Manager Brian Sweeney will talk with local farmers Austin Sharron of Pilgrim Terrace, Stefan Selbert of Las Cumbres Ranch, and Margo Redfern of Wanderment Farm, about their experiences with climate-smart agriculture and what it looks like on the ground here in Santa Barbara County. Bring your questions, curiosity, and friends interested in the topic — we’ll leave time at the end for networking and conversation. Climate Fridays Santa Barbara are hosted by CEC, the Society of Fearless Grandmothers Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara Sierra Club on the first Friday of each month to create space for fellow climate activists, students, allies, community partners, and friends to take collective action and collaborate to protect our planet. Learn more and register.

UC Environmental Stewards Statewide Conference Comes to Santa Barbara

October 9 – 11

UC Santa Barbara’s Corwin Pavilion

6085 UCEN Rd, Isla Vista

Join the Community Environmental Council (CEC) as we welcome the UC Environmental Stewards Statewide Conference to Santa Barbara this fall. Bringing together climate changemakers from across California, the conference will feature keynote presentations, hands-on workshops, community conversations, and field trips exploring climate resilience, participatory science, and equity in conservation. CEC is proud to serve as the local partner for this gathering. CEC CEO Sigrid Wright will join Mia Lopez, Chumash Cultural Educator and Founding Director of Su’nan Protection, to welcome attendees on opening day. CEC Director of Education and Operations Kathi King will also lead a workshop highlighting how CEC’s Climate Stewards course empowers community members to take climate action. Learn more and register.

Other Opportunities

SLO Climate Coalition presents ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Where are we going?

Wednesday, September 23, 12–12:45 p.m.

Learn about state programs, policies, and incentives; the status of bidirectional charging and the path forward; and the mythic and misunderstandings about EVs that keep people from driving electric. Learn more and register here.

Beat the Heat with Instant AC Savings

Ventura County residents who are Clean Power Alliance customers enrolled in CARE or FERA may qualify for $300 toward an energy-efficient, ENERGY STAR®-certified room air conditioner through the Instant AC Savings Program. For eligible customers, that could mean getting an AC unit at little to no cost while staying more comfortable during extreme heat. See if you qualify and learn more about the program.

Save on Your Next Home Heating or Cooling Upgrade

Goleta residents can save more than $200 on eligible home electrification projects through the City of Goleta’s Heat Pump Permit Fee Waiver Program. The pilot program waives permit fees for residential projects installing electric heat pump water heaters and HVAC systems at the time of replacement, including in single-family and multi-family homes. The fee waiver can be combined with other local electrification incentives for even greater savings, but funding is limited to $10,000 and available until exhausted. Learn more.

New Incentives to Go Electric

California is making it more affordable to switch to a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV), with new incentives for first-time buyers and rideshare drivers.

$3,500 for First-Time EV Buyers
Through California’s new MyFirstEV program, eligible Californians can receive $3,500 off a new ZEV or $1,750 off a qualifying used vehicle, applied directly at the dealership. The program is currently available through Hyundai and Lucid, with more automakers joining soon.

Up to $20,300 for Rideshare Drivers
The new Rideshare Incentives for Driving Electric (RIDE) program launches in September and offers eligible Uber, Lyft, and HopSkipDrive drivers up to $20,300 toward a new ZEV, up to $14,200 toward a used ZEV, plus up to $1,170 annually for charging costs.

For personalized assistance finding EV rebates and incentives you qualify for, visit cec.pub/electrify-yourlife and fill out the EV Assistance sign-up form, or contact CEC Climate Projects Associate Sachi Shiroma at sshiroma@cecmail.org or (805) 730-0203.

Where Santa Barbara’s Changemakers Gather

Planning a board meeting, strategic retreat, workshop, or community event this fall? The Community Environmental Council’s Environmental Hub offers flexible, sustainably designed meeting and event space for nonprofits, educational institutions, and government agencies.

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.