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Celebrating Santa Barbara’s Clean Energy Leadership
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Join CEC, Environment California, and the City of Santa Barbara for the “Solar Strong” success event.
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Thursday, March 12, 2026, 12:00 p.m.
Granada Garage, Lot 6
1221 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara
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The Community Environmental Council (CEC), the City of Santa Barbara’s Sustainability and Resilience Office, and Environment California invite you to join us for a community event celebrating Santa Barbara’s leadership in solar energy and battery storage. On Thursday, local leaders, clean energy advocates, and community members will gather at the top of the Granada Garage — one of the city’s flagship solar and EV charging installations — to highlight how distributed solar and storage are helping build a cleaner, more resilient energy future.
Santa Barbara has been a leader in expanding rooftop solar and battery storage across the community. These local energy resources help provide reliable clean power while strengthening resilience and reducing pollution. The event will lay out a vision for a statewide “Solar Strong” future. Speakers, including CEC’s Senior Policy Consultant Michael Chiacos, will discuss the city’s progress, the benefits of distributed solar and storage for communities, and the policies needed to help more cities across California follow Santa Barbara’s lead.
We’ll hear from:
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Caleb Weis, Clean Energy Associate, Environment California
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Craig Lewis, Founder and Executive Director, Clean Coalition
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Jefferson Litten, Energy and Climate Division Manager, City of Santa Barbara
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Leah C. Stokes, Anton Vonk Associate Professor of Environmental Politics, UC Santa Barbara
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Michael Chiacos, Senior Policy Consultant, Community Environmental Council
Join us to see the impact of Santa Barbara’s solar and storage projects and how they’re strengthening our community!
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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
Learn more about Community Resilience Hubs, take our short survey, and use our toolkit to get started today.
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A New Funding Resource for Central Coast Climate Leaders!
Securing funding remains the single largest barrier to implementing climate solutions across our region. With generous support from the Resources Legacy Fund, the Central Coast Climate Collaborative (4C) is launching a new Climate Funding Clearinghouse designed to help Central Coast organizations identify and pursue active and upcoming funding opportunities.
This resource is paired with tailored technical assistance to strengthen regional capacity and help communities secure funding for priority, community-driven climate projects. The Clearinghouse features regional, state, federal, and philanthropic funding opportunities and will be updated regularly. If you need support navigating the Clearinghouse, contact the 4C Management team at admin@centralcoastclimate.org. Learn more.
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| Take Action and Support Local Solar Policy Updates
At the tomorrow’s Planning Commission Hearing, Santa Barbara County will consider local solar ordinance updates that would remove barriers to local clean energy development by expanding where solar energy projects can go. Share your support for these forward-looking updates at tomorrow’s meeting:
Attend remotely via Zoom by registering in advance here. |
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An Evening of Wild Hope
Thursday, March 12, 2026
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
CEC’s Environmental Hub
1219 State St., Santa Barbara
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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.
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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.
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Repair Cafe Santa Barbara
Saturday, March 21, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
CEC’s Environmental Hub
1219 State St., Santa Barbara
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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.
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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
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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 — who brings over 40 years of dance 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.
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Christopher F. Jones Lecture: The Invention of Infinite Growth
Thursday, April 9, 2026
8:30 – 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. Drawing on decades of research and compelling storytelling, Chris will share insights on the balance between human ambition and the health of our planet through a hopeful lens. 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.
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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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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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