Susan and Frederick Powell had been considering switching their home to solar electricity for several years. However, it was not until the Powells heard about the Community Environmental Council's Solarize Santa Barbara program that they began to seriously examine options for solar electricity at their home. After the Powells learned of the benefits provided through the Solarize SB group purchasing program, they were quick to act and signed up for Solarize the day after the program launched. As Susan describes, "We were impressed by the reduced rate for solar panels and the vetting process for solar installers. So we just said to ourselves, 'Well why not? Let's do it!'"

The next day, the Powells met with REC Solar, one of the vetted Solarize SB installers, to discuss and design the optimum system for their roof and electrical needs. They signed a contract that same day. Within five weeks, the Powells began enjoying the benefits of solar power from a 2.88 kW system installed on their red tile roof. The Powells were the first homeowners to install solar in the inaugural Solarize Santa Barbara program. Additionally, the City of Santa Barbara recognized the Powells and REC Solar with a 2011 Solar Design Recognition Award for the integration of their solar array into a tile roof.

Susan says the primary motivation to go solar was the environmental benefit. "Going solar is a pretty major thing to be able to do for the environment. It does a lot more than many of the things that we do on a regular basis like recycling." In addition to her "green-motivation", Susan notes that the decision to go solar had to make economic sense. "Over time, the decision to go solar offers great financial savings to us." Through Southern California Edison's net metering program, "in the summer our electric bills go to zero and we actually get credit for the excess electricity we create."

The Powells experience with Solarize Santa Barbara demonstrates how quick and easy going solar can be. Once they signed the contract, the system was designed, permits were approved and their solar panels were installed within just 39 days. Reflecting back, Susan says "I do think the program really served as an impetus for us to move forward. We were already planning on going solar, but the program made it so easy!"

The nitty gritty

System size: 2.88 kW DC STC
Type of system: 12 REC 240-watt PE modules and SMA 3000S 240v Inverter
Installer: REC Solar
Estimated solar production/year: 4,015 kWh
Baseline utility energy use: 6,000 kWh
Portion of electricity demand met by system: 67%
Average utility cost at time of installation: 16 cents/kWh
Average cost of solar electricity over 20 years: 12 cents/kWh
Cost of system before rebate and tax credit: $16,856
State Rebate: $2,600
30% Federal Tax Credit: $4,276
Final Cost to Homeowner: $9,980

If you visited Coffee Cat (on the corner of Anapamu and Anacapa streets) last week, you may have noticed an electrician on a ladder fiddling with the ceiling lights. Thanks to a Carrot Mob organized by CEC and partners earlier this year, Coffee Cat has now completed the installation of 44 new T8 fluorescent light strips.

The energy efficient lights replace old, inefficient T12 fluorescent lamps that used 40 watts/hour. Although the new lights look similar, they only use 32 watts/ hour – a 30% savings. This simple swap will save energy and money without any change in atmosphere, which was an important goal to the Coffee Cat staff and customers.

The Carrot Mob, held in January, brought 440 people through the doors of Coffee Cat – doubling their sales for the day and raising $1,400. These funds paid for the upgraded lights and the installation.

THANK YOU to all of you who came out to Coffee Cat's Carrot Mob and helped make the shop more energy efficient! We also thank Vince from California Lighting Sales and Sananda from Vietor Electric for supporting this project. The owner and staff at Coffee Cat are grateful to the community for having made this energy efficient upgrade possible.

See you at the next Carrot Mob! Who will it be? Stay tuned...

The community we want to live in is centered on people instead of cars. In fact, walkable, bikable communities are part of CEC’s vision to wean our region off of fossil fuels in one generation. CEC Assistant Director Sigrid Wright, who is the Sustainability Editor for Seasons Magazine, recently wrote about Bike Moves, an eclectic community of bike enthusiasts in Santa Barbara. These monthly bike rides offer a fun and free way to enjoy biking in town with friends and fellow cyclists.

A 30-something man rides his bike down State Street dressed as Bill Nye, the Science Guy. Decked in a short-sleeved dress shirt with his hair slicked back, he pulls a tag-along, from which a makeshift stereo blasts music. His wheels spin with neon green lights as he joins hundreds of other bicyclists dressed in similarly outrageous gear.

This is Bike Moves.

Coinciding with downtown Santa Barbara's 1st Thursday celebration, Bike Moves is a monthly almost-leaderless gathering of bicyclists: everyday commuters, hardcore cyclists, casual riders, parents, kids.

The idea, says one rider, is to "shift the culture by taking something that people might think of as threatening—like hundreds of bicyclists—and creating something whimsical and fun.

Each month, Bike Moves centers around a theme, often tied to a holiday (Night of the Riding Dead for Halloween), a movie (Lord of the Chain Rings) or a cultural motif (Bill Nye, the Science Ride). The month when Empire Bikes Back was the theme, Darth Vaders and storm troopers took over the streets, and those who had light sabers stopped to duel.

"The best themes can be loosely interpreted, with costumes pulled together from a thrift store," says Kent Epperson, coordinator of CycleMAYnia, a month-long celebration of bicycling. "One of my favorites was Shotgun Wedding. The idea of a bunch of people dressed in wedding outfits on bicycles was just so over the top."

Unlike in other communities that host regular Critical Mass rides to advocate for bicycle rights—such as San Francisco and Portland—the confrontational reputation of Critical Mass doesn't fit with Santa Barbara's style, says co-founder John Hygelund. "From the beginning, our goal has been to be part of the community, having a good time but following the rules of the road. We don't want to create a situation where we're riding through red lights and aggravating motorists." Instead, Bike Moves focuses on creating a bike culture in Santa Barbara and being "fun and welcoming to new people," says Hygelund.

While some riders are athletic, "Bike Moves itself isn't an athletic event. You ride a mile or so, have fun, cruise around. For people who don't bike much, this might get them going. Maybe they'll start biking to a friend's house or to work once a week."

Riders start at a downtown location every 1st Thursday at 7:30 p.m., head up Santa Barbara Street to Arlington Theatre, loop back down State Street and end up at the pier. Here everyone circles up for Bicycle Sumo, a light-hearted agility contest in which pairs of volunteers ride in tight circles around each other.

While it is free to participate in the ride, many of the events end in some prearranged occasion, such as a fashion show or fundraiser at a restaurant or bar. Over the last couple of years, Bike Moves has raised about $7,500 for projects like purchasing new tools to maintain mountain bike trails, reaching out to Spanish-speaking riders and helping offset a bicycle coach's medical fees when he was hit by a car.

"Bike Moves is one of my favorite parts of the month, and something I do to feel connected with the community," says Epperson. "While we live in a relatively bicycle-friendly city, the reality is that bicyclists tend to feel a little exposed and on their own sometimes.....with Bike Moves, you feel like you belong. Everyone belongs. Also, cycling tends to be destination oriented—you have to get to work or to school, or you're training for a race. With Bike Moves, there's no agenda, no destination, no rules other than the rules of the road and being courteous."

Hygelund, a mechanical engineer, agrees with the community-building aspect of the event. He introduced the concept to Santa Barbara after experiencing something similar in San Luis Obispo, as a student at Cal Poly, and sets the themes each month. "Because of Bike Moves, I've become a lot more involved. I joined the board of Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition and volunteer to help maintain mountain bike trails. I feel more connected."

Part of what helps create that spirit is that all cross-segments of Santa Barbara participate. While Bike Moves is particularly popular with the 25 to 35 age group—in part because the event is largely advertised through Facebook and other social media—participants range from children under 10 years old to riders in their 60s and 70s. "I've brought my mom a few times," says Hygelund. "I don't think it's intimidating. One month the theme was Twins, and she dressed as a double helix."

He continues, "I'm always amazed during the ride how many fun and new people I meet. Everyone's got a smile on their face and is genuinely enjoying something totally free. Our only common thread is our bikes."

For more information about Bike Moves, visit www.sbbikemoves.com.

Learn more about Bike Moves and join the next bike ride on Thursday, June 7. RSVP on Facebook →

The project

As a part of an overall vision to lead the community away from energy-intensive products, CEC launched its "Rethink the Drink" campaign in January 2011, aiming to reduce single use plastic bottles by 75% in two pilot schools. With funding from the Orfalea Foundations and other local partners, we have thus far installed nine refill stations in local schools.

The refill stations dispense cold, filtered water with both a regular water fountain spout and a quick-fill mechanism, and electronically display the number of times they've been used. Since the beginning of the program, students and staff have used the stations 164,387 times – dramatically reducing their use of disposable plastic water bottles.

Survey results

In a recent program survey, 95% of respondents knew there was a station at their school and 79% said they used it to refill their water bottles. We collected a total of 470 surveys (mix of staff, high school and 5th/6th grade elementary school students). Students and teachers alike expressed appreciation for the stations. As one student commented in the survey, "Rethink the Drink makes me not only feel better and think clearer because of my increased water intake but I also feel good about saving the environment and money."

CEC's vision

CEC's vision is of a fossil free future where we choose energy-smart products that reduce our carbon footprint. The production and transportation of bottled water is one of the more energy intensive disposable products that most of us can do something about. More than 17 million barrels of oil each year are used to bring bottled water to our stores -- enough to fuel one million vehicles for a year! Despite being recyclable, fewer than 30% of the bottles make it to a recycling bin.

Rethink the Drink's funding partners are the Orfalea Foundations, the Ann Jackson Family Foundation, MedBridge Development, the William E. Weiss Foundation, the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation and the Montecito Union School Green Team.

Everyone wants a home that is safe, comfortable and efficient, but often our homes have poor indoor air quality, are drafty, and are expensive to operate. Building science is a field of study that focuses on these issues. A building system functions very similarly to systems in nature. If one aspect has a problem, it will impact the ability of the entire system to function properly.

If you are looking to create a more comfortable and healthy home, you may want to consider bringing in a trained, building science expert to examine the home's performance and identify areas for improvement. This is important because not all problems will have visible signs (such as indoor air quality), and, even when there are visible signs (such as mold or moisture issues), the cause can be far different from what you might think. Treating an obvious symptom without knowing the real cause can actually make it worse or even create new problems.

For instance, most owners of drafty homes immediately think that air sealing doors and window will solve the problem. Unfortunately, if the drafts are actually coming from the ceiling or floor, sealing doors and windows can make the draft problem worse and impact indoor air quality. A slight amount of air leakage into a home is a normal state, and outside air coming through doors and windows creates a much healthier environment than air moving in from the attic and crawl space. An upgrade done right improves comfort, health, safety, durability, and energy efficiency of a home.

Santa Barbara has a number of experts trained in building science, known as Building Analysts. These analysts are certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI) through a rigorous course with written and field tests. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of these trained professionals in the area. There is a great need for more Building Analysts, especially given the aging status of the buildings in Santa Barbara.

Through BPI training, Building Analysts are educated in building science and how a home functions as a system. A "building doctor" of sorts, these experts can look at the symptoms in a home, properly identify what is making the building "sick," and suggest the solutions that would fix the problem. BPI coursework includes field training such as:

• Using infrared cameras to look at temperature differences in areas of the house;
• Conducting blower door tests to see how much air leaks out of the house; and
• Performing function and safety testing for carbon monoxide levels and combustion appliance back-draft.

You may want to know how your home is performing, even if there are no visible problems. A home inspection by a Building Analyst can identify even the invisible problems to ensure that you live in a healthy, comfortable, and efficient home. If problems are found, now is a great time to make improvements, as there are currently two local programs available to provide financial assistance to make upgrades. Rebates are available through a statewide program called Energy Upgrade California. Additionally, emPowerSBC is a local program that provides low-cost loans to help finance the upfront costs of upgrades. Both of these programs have a list of preferred contractors to perform the upgrades, and these contractors are required to be BPI certified.

Interested in becoming certified as a BPI Building Analyst?

Two subsidized Building Analyst courses are being offered locally for $100; normally the courses would run around $2,350. The week-long program is well worth the cost. They include classroom lectures, field training, and the two tests for certification.

Building Analysts come from a variety of backgrounds. Participants in the training course may include contractors, green building professionals, students or recent graduates, and other professionals looking to expand their skills. There are no prerequisites for taking the training, and the concentrated style of the course provides all the necessary skills in a short period of time. Two intensive exams ensure that the trainees are ready to conduct home performance testing on their own.

The dates for the upcoming subsidized courses are:

Ventura: May 21-25
Santa Barbara: June 4-8

Click here to find out more and sign up.

For more information contact Ashley Watkins at 805-568-3514 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

We are proud to report 35,765 people attended Santa Barbara Earth Day this year! (And thanks to our stellar volunteers, who tracked entries from 6 locations). It's a beautiful thing when so many people can gather to share information, celebrate, and empower one another. Check out our "Live" site to re-live the magic: live.sbearthday.org

Our favorite stats

• 923 people took a test drive in one of the new electric vehicles in the Green Car Show. Thanks to the teams from Chevy Volt, Coda, Ford Focus, Nissan Leaf, and Toyota Prius for making this possible.
• We counted about 1,500 bikes at the festival. 850 took advantage of free valet bike parking in Bike World. Still more came by foot or bus. Special thanks to our partners at the SB Bicycle Coalition, MTD, and Santa Barbara Car Free.
• The amount of water distributed by our water stations this year was equivalent to 2,000 plastic bottles.
• 85% of the waste generated by the festival was diverted from the landfill. Special thanks to Green Project Consultants for hand sorting each piece.

Special thanks

A huge thank you to our core production and marketing partners: +One Events, LoaTree, New Noise, and Oniracom, as well as dozens of other production partners and hundreds of volunteers. We invite you to join us in applauding their incredible energy and commitment.

You can still give back

For those who participated in our text donation drive, many thanks. If you didn't get a chance, you can still make a $10 donation by texting "Earth" to 50555 and replying "Yes." We'll be pulling our raffle winners tomorrow - prizes include a bicycle, water bottles, and more. Your support allows us to host this event year after year.

You can also donate online.

Tell us what you think

We want to hear from you! What were the highlights? Suggestions for next year? Respond by Thursday at 5pm and we'll enter you in a drawing to win some fossil-free lifestyle gifts.

• Festival attendee? Take this survey.
• Sponsor or exhibitor? Take this survey.
• Volunteer? Take this survey.

Share your photos

We know you took some great shots -- please share them!

You can post your photos and videos to one of our sites (including Facebook, Instagram #sbearthday, or Flickr) or mail a disc to CEC (26 W. Anapamu St. 2nd floor) for a chance to be used in festival promotional materials for 2013.

"What I love about Earth Day today is that it has become an enormous exchange of information and ideas about how to preserve, protect and enhance the quality of life in Santa Barbara and by extension, the world. It's fun, educational and an aesthetic experience all rolled into one. How many events do you go to where 38,000 people gather to learn from one another? Earth Day gives me a sense of joy and hope each and every year."

- Paul Relis, former CEC Executive Director

The oil spill

To understand how Santa Barbara became the home of the one of the most highly attended, most consistently held community-based Earth Day festivals on the West Coast, one needs to go back to first Earth Day celebration in 1970.

Or rather, a year before that -- because the story of this annual celebration actually started with a tragedy. On January 28, 1969, an oil platform six miles off of Santa Barbara's coast ruptured, sending 80,000 to 100,000 barrels of crude oil into the Santa Barbara Channel over the next 10 days. The oil spread from Goleta to Ventura, killing thousands of sea birds, as well as dolphins, elephant seals, and sea lions.

"It's hard to imagine today, but at the time it was the largest oil spill in the U.S.," said Marc McGinnes, retired UCSB Environmental Studies Program professor. (Today the Santa Barbara spill ranks third behind the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf in 2010 and the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989.) "What we now know as the environmental movement was just emerging. It was events like this and fires burning on the Cuyahoga River that got people's attention."

Environmental activism

Over the next few years, the Nixon Administration would respond by putting into place the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and national legislation. Locally, on the first anniversary of the oil spill, activists hosted a national conference at Santa Barbara City College, with speakers that included notable environmentalists Paul Ehrlich and David Brower, political leaders Sen. Alan Cranston, Rep. Pete McCloskey and former Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, as well as Denis Hayes, coordinator of the first Earth Day observances planned for later that year.

The ripples of that conference – in which the community began to channel its outrage, concern, and hopes for a better future – can still be felt today. One of these was the formation of the Community Environmental Council (CEC), whose first order of business was to open an ecology center on the corner of State and Anapamu, close down the street out front, and host one of the first Earth Day celebrations in the country on April 22, 1970.

The Earth Day Festival was born

"The festival itself was modest, with maybe 5,000 people. But when taken collectively, it turned out to be the world's largest event – cities everywhere participated that day," said former CEC Executive Director Paul Relis, who co-directed the organization in its early years with former Santa Barbara mayor Hal Conklin.

The annual event continued on and off thru the 1970s, waned in the 1980s, and then was revitalized in 1990 when Denis Hayes called for a recommitment to a national day of recognition for the environment. Karen Feeney led an effort to re-spark the gathering with a 20th anniversary bash at Santa Barbara City College, and Earth Day has been held consistently and with increasing attendance by the CEC since then.

Today's Earth Day Festival

Today the Earth Day Festival is a two-day event at Alameda Park, with more than 250 local and national exhibitors, a Green Car Show, live music, and speakers that have recently included director James Cameron, actress Daryl Hannah, and Tesla Motorcars CEO Elon Musk. With more that 38,000 people attending in 2011, it logs as the most well-attended annual Earth Day Festival on the West Coast.

For more informtaion on CEC's Earth Day Festival visit: www.SBEarthDay.org

CEC helped cut the ribbon on 6 new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Solvang, along with the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, City of Solvang, and County of Santa Barbara representatives.

These are the first of dozens of stations being constructed throughout Santa Barbara County as part of Coulomb Technologies’ ChargePoint America program. Funding for the stations comes from the Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission, and private sources.

CEC played a major role extending this program to the Santa Barbara/Ventura area as well as identifying and coordinating sites with local partners.

These new charging stations charge at 240 volts, twice to four times as fast as a 120 volt outlet. The stations allow pure EV owners (like the Nissan LEAF, and the upcoming Mitsubishi I, Ford Focus EV, and Tesla Model S) the opportunity to “top-off” thus extending the places they can visit. They also allow plug in hybrid drivers (like the Chevy Volt, and the upcoming Toyota Plug in Prius) the opportunity to charge up and travel more miles on electricity instead of gasoline.

There are 3 charging locations now active in Solvang, each with 2 charging ports, for a total of 6 charging stations—all open 24/7:

• Veterans Memorial Hall Parking Lot at 1745 Mission Drive
• City Parking Lot 1 at 1576 Mission Drive
• City Parking Lot 3 at 482 Alisal Road

Parking is free in Solvang’s public parking lots and the City of Solvang currently charges $1.25/hour to use the stations.

Soon, the County of Santa Barbara will greatly expand this network, installing 18 charging stations at 9 County owned sites in Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria. Cities in San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties have also added charging stations in recent months to join the hundreds of public stations that are now available throughout California.

CEC welcomes these charging stations to our region, and excitedly awaits the dozens of more coming on line soon.

Press coverage

KEYT [Video Clip]

Santa Maria Times Article

Santa Barbara News Press Article (PDF)

Benefits of EVs

EVs provide significant environmental and societal benefits to EV drivers, such as:

• New electric cars achieve around 100 mpg equivalent, according to their EPA labels. Electric motors are 3 times more efficient than gasoline motors, with little waste heat, noise, or emissions.
• EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions, benefitting society with cleaner air.
• EVs reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 75% in California, as our grid is very clean, with very little coal. We currently get 20% of our electricity from renewable energy, and this is mandated to increase to 33% by 2020. Thus EVs get cleaner as they age, unlike gasoline cars, which get dirtier.
• EV owners can charge up for $1/gallon equivalent if they take advantage of cheap, off peak nighttime charging. The money saved can be spent on local goods and services, instead of going to foreign countries.
• EVs and solar panels go great together. 2 kW of solar allows an EV driver to “drive on sunshine” for 12,000 miles per year. 2 kW of solar currently costs around $7,000-8,000 after incentives – much cheaper than paying for 25 years of gasoline!
• EVs are very fun to drive, with lots of torque right off the line.

Environment California recently released a study comparing adoption of solar among California cities. As expected, big cities, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Jose (respectively) came in on top for total number of installed systems, and total installed capacity. Environment California also analyzed small and medium sized cities, and installations per capita. That’s where things get interesting.

Of the 170 municipalities in California with populations over 50,000, Santa Barbara ranks 9^th in number of solar installations per capita (0.81 installations per 100 people). While we don’t fair quite as well in installed capacity per capita (19^th), we are by far above average in both categories.

The other cities in our region that made the list are Ojai, ranked 12^th in the small cities category with almost four solar installations per 100 people, and Paso Robles ranked 7^th in the large town category with 0.17 installations per 100 people.

We give credit for this accomplishment to a combination of forward thinking individuals and good government policies.

Ever since the 1969 oil spill, Santa Barbara residents have recognized the importance of moving away from our dependence on fossil fuels for environmental and economic reasons. By installing solar, residents have stabilized their energy costs and those with electric vehicles have switched to fuel supplied by the sun for their transportation needs. We at CEC like to think that we might have helped some of those people make the decision to go solar with events like CEC's Earth Day Festival and Solar SUNday, and our publications like Get Started with Solar (PDF).

The City of Santa Barbara also deserves recognition. Not only has the City has installed solar on government facilities; they have also created a streamlined permitting process for rooftop solar, allowing homeowners to get a permit in less than an hour. Streamlined permitting creates certainty and reduces costs for solar. CEC is proud to have helped develop that process years ago and continues to work with the City on further improvements to the solar permitting process.

Read the full study (PDF) >

And a big thanks to Environment California for collecting and analyzing the data. We look forward to next year’s report.

We’ve all been stuck in dreadful traffic near a school. In fact, during morning rush hour on certain routes, up to 30% of all traffic can be attributed to parents driving their kids to school. The problem is getting worse as fewer kids are taking the bus, carpooling, walking or biking to school. Instead, their parent chauffeurs are getting busier and busier.

CEC and Traffic Solutions are working with the Dos Pueblos High School Traffic Committee to reverse this trend through our Walk and Roll Initiative. Our most recent project is the Dos Pueblos Carpool Challenge, a one week event that is taking place right now. CEC helped the Traffic Committee and the student leadership class plan the event and secured prizes and incentives, with a grand prize of two concert tickets donated by the Santa Barbara County Bowl!

The students are buzzing with excitement about the Carpool Challenge, and as of yesterday, over 123 have signed up to DP’s new carpool matching list, with more coming in every day. There are banners around school promoting the Carpool Challenge, school bulletins, and a preferential carpool parking area with music and a table where carpoolers pick up raffle tickets and donuts. The Traffic Committee and the student leadership class did a great job making it fun to carpool to school!

Carpooling is the easiest way for anyone to “double their gas mileage in any car.”

In CEC’s Transportation Energy Plan, ridesharing is the top strategy to quickly reduce fossil fuel use, congestion, and pollution on our roads. Ridesharing doesn’t require expensive new vehicles or infrastructure - it uses our existing cars and roads to increase efficiency. If everyone carpooled one out of every five trips they would normally have driven alone, we’d experience a 20% drop in fossil fuel use and traffic would be much less of a hassle!

Work toward that goal – visit Traffic Solution’s online carpool matching webpage to find a carpool: http://www.trafficsolutions.info

More information about the Dos Pueblos Carpool Challenge >

A buzz was in the air and Coffee Cat was teeming with people on Saturday, January 21^st. We put the word out about our Carrot Mob on Facebook, Twitter, and our email list, and you (along with hundreds of your neighbors) showed up for the “buy-cott” to help green a local business.

Hundreds of activists came together and bought cups of coffee, crepes, and bags of coffee beans, all in the name of energy efficiency. The mood was upbeat as carrots danced on the street and a band played inside, with bikes stowed next door at Bikestation bike valet. Check out the photos on Facebook >

The results

Carrot Mob was a success!  

From 10am to 3pm, 440 people came to the Carrot Mob to support Coffee Cat’s efforts to go green. And it showed - Coffee Cat’s sales for the day more than doubled! The Carrot Mob produced $1,400 above what Coffee Cat would normally bring in. 100% of those funds will pay for major lighting improvements that will increase energy efficiency and reduce the shop’s carbon footprint.

YOU made energy efficient lighting a reality for Coffee Cat – Thank you! Krista Fritzen, owner of Coffee Cat, is grateful to have the community rally behind her efforts to make the shop more sustainable, and is eagerly preparing for the installation process.

Watch this video from the event:

Next steps

Coffee Cat will be swapping out old, energy-wasting lamps for new, efficient lamps. We’ll take you behind the scenes during the installation so you can check it out for yourself. Stay tuned for updates on Facebook, Twitter, and by email.

Thank you for mobbing, mob again soon!

Thanks to our Partners:

Bikestation, CALPIRG, City of Santa Barbara, Edible Santa Barbara, LoaTree, Plus One Marketing, Santa Barbara Bike Coalition, Santa Barbara High School Dons Net Cafe, The Sustainability Project, Sustanability Socially, and UCSB Environmental Affairs Board.

We all agree that rooftop solar is important. But what about utility scale solar? At CEC, we think that both have a place in our energy future, but only if they are completed in a responsible, environmentally beneficial manner.

Right now we have the chance to shape solar in our community through two opportunities. First, the County of Santa Barbara has begun a scoping process for the environmental impact report (EIR) for a solar project in Cuyama Valley. Second, the County is considering an amendment to the Land Use and Development Code that would allow solar on agricultural land. If you have concerns or comments on either of these topics, it is crucial that you get involved now so that those issues can be examined and addressed. This is the time during the planning process to have your voice heard.

CEC does not take a position on any project until we have examined the final environmental impact report. However, we do participate throughout the process, increase transparency, and encourage public participation.

To get involved, examine the project proposal. Then email or mail comments, suggestions, or concerns to:

Kathy McNeal Pfeifer ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
Planning & Development, Energy Division
123 E. Anapamu St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Send your feedback by Friday, January 20.

The Community Environmental Council (CEC) is a small and dedicated non-profit with a very big mission: ending the Santa Barbara region’s dependence on fossil fuels in one generation. It's been a busy year for CEC. After all, moving our region off fossil fuels is no small task. Check out this infographic of our most impressive accomplishments from 2011.

Thank you to everyone who helped us this year: donors, green-minded businesses, Solarize SB participants, Facebook fans, Earth Day attendees...  you all help power the clean energy movement in Santa Barbara. Consider giving back by making a donation to CEC this year.

Share this infographic on Facebook and Twitter.

Click the image for a full size version.

Share this infographic on Facebook and Twitter.

The days are getting shorter, but it's still bright and sunny in the solar realm. Both the City and County of Santa Barbara are working to make it easier for residents to get permits for rooftop solar arrays.

As with any construction project, solar permits are required for homeowners and businesses that want to install solar panels on their roofs. Processing time varies widely depending on the city or county where the permit is granted.

A new, expedited solar permitting process makes solar installations go more smoothly for all parties involved. This improved system lowers regulatory barriers for local businesses and simplifies the process for homeowners. It reduces the amount of municipal staff time needed to process the permits. It also cuts the amount of time solar companies spend on the process, which brings down the cost of solar overall. Solar that costs less, paired with a hassle-free process, makes it easier for Santa Barbarans to generate clean, local and renewable energy for our region. It's a good deal for our local environmental and economic health.

The City of Santa Barbara has lead the way for years with an over-the-counter permitting process that is quicker than most other cities. The City has recently revised their guidelines to make them even more user-friendly. With a little nudging from CEC, the County of Santa Barbara recently stepped up as well. They rewrote their guidelines for residential rooftop solar permitting to expedite the process (read the new County process). A process that used to take 2 to 6 weeks will now only take 2 days. We applaud the elected officials and dedicated staff who made these changes possible.

Now, CEC is working with the other cities in Santa Barbara County to take a second look at their permitting processes, as well as encourage expedited permitting for commercial projects.

Are you in?

Fossil fuels have carried us a long way. But after 100 years, it's time to call it. The age of fossil fuels is over.

If we do it right, we can shift into a new economy fueled by clean, renewable energy. One that results in a net gain of $1.5 billion to our county’s economy by 2030. This is CEC’s mission, and we need your help.

Step 1: Watch

Check out this fast-paced 2-minute video about a movement in Santa Barbara to get off fossil fuels in one generation:

A New Movement | Community Environmental Council

Love the video? Share it with your networks. Build the movement.

Share on Facebook | Tweet it

Step 2: We need your support

The Community Environmental Council (CEC) relies heavily on support from the community. We've been pioneering real life solutions to environmental problems for 41 years. Learn about our results in 2011 (PDF download). Invest in a future powered by clean energy. Invest in CEC.

		Support solar power and wind power  Your $60 membership moves our region away from dirty energy. CEC links homeowners with solar installers, helps non-profits go solar, and advocates for large-scale wind and solar farms.
		Stand up for more efficient vehicles Your $60 membership paves the way for more electric cars and hybrids. CEC hosts 3 Green Car Shows a year and is helping to locate and install more than 50 new charging stations this year.
		Choose a more walkable and bikable community Your $60 membership creates a community that centers around people, not cars. CEC gets citizens involved in community planning, and advocates for more walkable, bikable neighborhoods.