You are cordially invited to attend the eco-chic party of the season as we celebrate the Community Environmental Council’s 40th Anniversary!

Our party for the planet begins as you enter a tree-filled enchanted Celtic forest, replete with wood nymphs, fairies and satyrs. Make your way down the moss-filled path to the clearing in the woods, where fairy elixirs await and the music of Palmer Jackson, Jr., Cord Pereira and John Simpson enchants.

A fabulous dinner inspired by local farmers and vintners follows. Over the top, decadent desserts will be the piéce de resistance. Anamazing live auction, fabulous entertainment and prizes for greening your life all add to the magic of the evening.

Tickets are $250 per person. For more information, please view the Green Gala invitation.

For information about CEC's 40th anniversary event Kathi King at 805-963-0583 ext. 108 or kking@cecmail.org.

CEC would like to extend a special thank-you to event co-chairs Merryl Brown, Gay Browne and Hollye Jacobs.

Green Gala 2009

CEC's partner, Merryl Brown Events, has been nominated for the prestigious 2010 International Special Events Society (ISES) Esprit Awards for “Best Green Solution” for CEC's 2009 Green Gala! Considered the 'Oscars of events awards', the Esprit Awards winner will be announced August 7.

Thank you to all who joined us for CEC’s annual Green Gala on October 17. The evening began with delicious greentinis and music on the patio by Palmer Jackson, Jr. and John Simpson, and was followed by dinner inspired by local, organic purveyors, and dancing with Area 51. Guests received Greenpoint raffle tickets for all that they are doing to become fossil-free – with the winners collecting elegant, fabulous gifts. A huge thank you to all of our sponsors, volunteers, and guests for helping us party for the planet and further our mission of Fossil Free by ’33!

To see these pictures on Flickr, click here.

To see additional pictures from the Scene&Heard Magazine enewsletter, click here.

To see the article from the Montecito Journal, click here.

To see the article from the Santa Barbara News-Press, click here.

Stay tuned for information on next year's Gala.  

Waste Audit Results

The Green Gala 2009 produced approximately 458 pounds of total waste. Due to careful planning and detailed waste management strategies, approximately 415 pounds of the total waste, or 90.75%, will be recycled and/or composted, leaving only 10% actual trash. These numbers far exceed waste management practices of any standard event and are exemplary even for an event striving to be considered “zero waste.” The remaining 10% trash resulted in large part out of the necessity to package delivered food.

These numbers are derived from a waste audit supervised by trained staff from Merryl Brown Events. There was little to no contamination of each of the three waste categories due to cooperation of event planners, staff, caterers, and participants.