Going solar is a smart and easy way to lower energy costs -- especially in sunny California -- but for many, it is not a feasible option. GRID Alternatives, a non-profit licensed solar installation organization, has found a way to give everyone an opportunity to bring alternative energy into their community, by training volunteers to install solar electric systems for low-income families.

The program brings renewable energy to families that will greatly benefit from the savings of going solar, but that wouldn’t otherwise be able to financially support a renewable energy system.

Through GRID Alternative, volunteers sign up for a one-time orientation. The next orientation in the Central Coast region is Tuesday, January 22 from 6-8 pm at the Santa Ynez Tribal Hall. Once that is completed, volunteers are divided into teams based on experience. (For example, some will go on to set up tracks on the ground, while others will work on the rooftops.) For the individuals looking to gain more experience and skills, GRID Alternatives offers a Team Leader program, which requires five installations and an additional training session. Once a volunteer is able to demonstrate mastery of the core skills, he or she can become certified as a “teaching assistant,” helping the rest of the staff in the field.

Otha Cole, a LEED Green Associate with a Master’s in Urban Planning, started getting more interested in solar a few years ago and wanted to increase his professional skills. Santa Barbara City College offered several sustainably-minded courses in construction technology, including solar energy. “Once I started taking those classes,” says Cole “I did my first solar panel installation. I wanted to extend on that and heard about GRID Alternatives.”

For Otha, gaining the knowledge and skills was beneficial to him professionally, but it was also about more than that. “People talk about the importance of solar energy and how it is the future; I wanted to learn first-hand just how it works.” He believes that the real incentive to go solar "is self-sufficiency, moving toward a more logical approach towards energy and a critical mass of people who are adopting these lifestyles.”

In the future, Otha wants to have solar panels on his own home. Since he doesn’t have that option currently, he did everything else he could to show his support for solar energy by joining the volunteer force of GRID Alternatives. “This is a great way to volunteer and to actively participate in an actual project, getting the hands-on experience installing solar panels and learning about all the components that are needed in a solar array system…for free.”

To learn more about GRID Alternatives, visit their website. You can also join their next Solar Installation training on Tuesday January 22 from 6-8 pm at the Santa Ynez Tribal Hall. Sign up for the orientation online or contact Serena Bruce, Solar Corps Solar Installation Associate at (805) 769-9112.

Whether your electricity bill is $50 or $100 per month, now is a good time to consider going solar. Prices have come down dramatically, and CEC's Solarize Santa Barbara program takes the guess work out the process. We've vetted the installers, secured high quality panels, and negotiated below average costs. In fact, Solarize Santa Barbara's price per watt is almost 30% less than the average price in Santa Barbara.

A total of 22 homeowners have already signed a contract to purchase or lease solar panels through this short term program. They are reducing their energy bills and decreasing their dependence on fossil fuels. Join them to hit our goal of 30 solarized homeowners this year.

Solarize Santa Barbara runs for one more week. To take advantage of this group purchasing deal, register online by Friday, November 9. CEC is extending the contract signing deadline to Saturday, November 17.

To qualify, homeowners must:

• Live in Southern Santa Barbara County;
• Own a home that is appropriate for solar;
• Sign up for the program by Friday, November 9 and sign a contract by Saturday, November 17.

Questions? Contact us at (805) 963-0583 x105 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

For Santa Barbara residents Chris and Stacey Ulep, the decision to solarize their home “was just the natural decision.” They’ve always been conscious of their environmental impact by recycling and turning out lights that aren’t in use. However, as a family of musicians, they use a lot of energy to power instruments, amps, and other gear.

When the Uleps began a re-model of their home last October, they started thinking about how they could make their home as energy efficient as possible. Since the house was built in 1931, they incorporated upgrades to improve the energy efficiency of the property, such as new windows, denim insulation, and Energy Star appliances.

They also began considering solar so they could generate their own energy and offset the electricity used by their musical gadgets. However, they were concerned; the upfront price was prohibitive, and they had other re-model costs to consider. When Chris and Stacey heard about Solarize Santa Barbara and reviewed a cost analysis, they decided to lease their solar panels instead of owning them outright. This option minimized the upfront costs, set them up with a predictable electricity bill, and allowed them to produce clean energy for their home. They also appreciated how smoothly the process went with Solarize Santa Barbara. They didn’t have to research companies or figure out which technology was best; they just had to sign on the dotted line.

The Uleps completed the remodel and had their solar panels installed in February. Chris says the solar panels were well worth the initial investment. Before the re-model in 2010, their electricity bill was averaging $125 per month. They now pay a flat rate of $65 per month -- a rate that is locked in for the length of their 20-year contract. Based on projected energy costs of electricity, the Uleps will save more than $27,000 over a 20-year period.

Note: Click to enlarge. Figures based on a 5% increase per year for traditional electricity.

Beyond the financial savings, check out their “Environmental Impact” breakdown, below. Since the Uleps needed to cut down a backyard tree that was shading their roof, Stacey was pleased to see that their solar panels have saved the carbon dioxide equivalent of 60 trees planted. Although cutting down the tree wasn’t easy, seeing how much of a positive environmental impact they have made after going solar has definitely helped.

If you are interested in joining the Uleps and dozens of other Santa Barbara families, check out our Solarize Santa Barbara program. It’s the cheapest and easiest way to go solar in Santa Barbara and the program is running until November 9, 2012. Our next workshop is coming up in Carpinteria on Monday, September 17. Learn more →

Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 805-963-0583 x105 for more information.

Robert and Ellen Lilley were considering purchasing an electric vehicle to reduce their carbon footprint. However when Robert, an electrical engineer, began crunching numbers, the couple realized that an electric car would increase their electricity consumption. Thus Robert and Ellen began considering going solar to power both their 2,500 square foot home and the electric vehicle they planned to buy.

In addition to their power requirements, the Lilleys wanted a system that was inconspicuously "in-set" flush with their red-tile roof (pictured above). Ultimately, the Lilleys chose Sun Pacific Solar Electric, as they were impressed by the company's knowledge, proven track record and ability to accommodate their custom design requirements. The Lilleys were also impressed with the price that Sun Pacific could offer because of the company's participation the Community Environmental Council's Solarize Santa Barbara program.

Robert and Ellen were active participants in selecting and sizing their system. The Lilleys worked with Sun Pacific representatives to model and predict the monthly and yearly electrical output of their system. They eventually decided on and installed a 7.2 kW SunPower system. Once installed, the Lilleys took advantage of the system's remote monitoring technology; in the first month Robert checked the system's output, "on almost a minute by minute basis." He was proud to discover their system's peak power output occurred near noon on the summer solstice and was within 100 watts of the maximum output he and Sun Pacific predicted.

In just eight months, the Lilleys' solar array produced over 7,600 kWh of clean electricity and offset 12,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. Over that same period, the Lilleys consumed 9,000 kWh of electricity, meaning the solar array met an impressive 84 percent of their energy demand.

While the Lilleys have always practiced energy conservation, now they pay attention to when they use electricity. After installing their solar array, the Lilleys opted into Southern California Edison's time of use (TOU) billing. Under TOU billing not all kilowatt hours are created equal; electricity costs more during peak-demand hours and less at night and in the early morning. In response, the Lilleys have shifted their heavy electrical-use activities such as laundry to the nighttime. This allows them to sell excess power to the utility during the day and purchase cheaper power in the evening – maximizing their financial savings.

Reflecting on his family's experience using CEC's Solarize Santa Barbara program to install solar electricity, Robert said, "CEC did an outstanding job of selecting the installers to participate in the program. When we boiled it down, we found the two companies that Solarize Santa Barbara chose really looked the best." He also said that because the companies participating in the CEC program offered such consistent and attractive pricing, "It neatly took money out of the decision making process. We could simply go with the company that offered the highest quality installation."

Robert offers the following advice to homeowners considering Solarize Santa Barbara, "By all means look into it. It's a serious program that makes a difference!"

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

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.

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.

I have quite a bit of experience with solar systems in terms of remote telecommunications facilities where utility power isn't practical. These involve large battery banks and over-engineering to ensure reliable power for radio, microwave, and telephone relay stations that need to be up 24/7.

So, the idea of a solar system in a suburban area with plentiful utility power didn't make sense to me at first. Electricity is readily available at reasonable rates. It would be satisfying but not practical to pull the plug on Edison.

Then, I stumbled across a mention of solar "co-generation" on Southern California Edison’s website. Co-generation is when a customer connects a source of power such as solar or wind into the electric grid. With solar, California supplies a rebate to pay part of the cost, and the federal government provides an additional tax credit.

On further research I found the idea of co-generation kind of exciting. I can use the entire utility grid as my energy storage. I don't need a battery and I don’t need to design the system any bigger than my load.

I was also considering my electric vehicle (Chevy Volt). I decided the convenience of the 240-volt charger was worth it. Rebates cover half the cost of the charger and installation. If I came home from a day trip with a depleted battery I could plug in for a couple of hours and then go out to dinner on electricity. However, the Volt would be away from home when my solar panels would be generating power from the sun.

With co-generation, I just produce more power than I need when the sun shines, feed it to Edison, and then pull power from Edison at night to run my home and charge the car. I also switched to a rate plan that gives me much lower electric rates at night and credits me at higher rates in the daytime when the sun is shining and I'm producing electricity. Some friends were predicting that the Volt would cause my electric bill to skyrocket –ha!

[Click image to see more...]

As luck would have it, I have a great roof for solar. It is south-facing and doesn't have any vents or obstructions. I had enough area to install panels that could generate about 4kW peak power. I'm good with my hands and have a lot of experience with wiring and electrical things. My initial plan was to install the solar as well as the level 2 car charger myself.

I quickly changed my mind about installing the solar because I'm not comfortable with the permit process and roof penetrations kind of scare me. I shopped around and chose Coastal Constructors to provide the hardware, do the mechanical work and take care of the permit paperwork. They did the wiring at the same time as they wired the charger, and everything passed inspection. Modern panels are a lot better looking than the earlier ones. I'm very happy with the appearance as well as the performance.

Another modification I considered was the inverter systems. Most grid-tied systems connect a number of panels in a series string to produce high-voltage DC, and then put in a large wall-mounted inverter to convert this to conventional AC power. I was not excited about this design. A fault in one panel can bring down a whole string. Due to the high DC voltages, the wiring is complicated.

I discovered a company in the Bay Area, Enphase, that does things differently. They manufacture micro-inverters. Each micro-inverter handles the output from one solar panel. One mounts underneath each panel and they connect in parallel. If one panel or inverter goes bad, the rest of the array keeps going. The DC wiring is low-voltage and needs no conduit.

In addition, my solar system has its own website that not only shows real-time and historical data for every panel, but can also alert me if there's ever a problem. If there's debris such as bird droppings on or an electrical problem affecting one panel, the other panels are not affected, and I get an email describing the issue and showing me which panel is in trouble.

It's now been in service for almost 10 months. I've ”banked” a bit over 6 megawatt-hours of electricity with Edison. Carbon offset a bit over 4 tons. Every month since installation I've produced more electricity than I've consumed. Not only am I driving on daylight, I'm powering my house with it and even providing solar energy to my neighbors via the grid-tie.

Kermit was wrong. It's easy being green. Take a look at my solar production >

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.

Michel Saint-Sulpice is a gentle soul who takes his responsibility for the planet seriously, and always has. Growing up in France, his family was careful with resources, and he has carried forth that strong environmental ethic into his adult life as a Santa Barbara architect.

Michel aspires to be fossil fuel free by the end of 2012, and he’s well on his way. Solar panels provide his home with electricity, and he’s been driving a Toyota Prius since the second generation first hit the market. He completely removed his lawn to make room for a beautiful drought tolerant landscape. Greywater and collected rain water (with back-up well water) will soon irrigate a “food forest.” On the drawing board is a geothermal system that will heat the entire house (with cooling option), all his domestic water and his swimming pool year round. Since Michel produces all his electricity, his carbon footprint will be zero, and he will not be paying electric and gas bills any longer. He has taken these measures to express his deep appreciation for nature and beauty.

Recently, however, Michel took his environmental commitment to a new level, after attending a screening of “Revenge of the Electric Car,” co-sponsored by CEC in October. He was so inspired by the film and the subsequent panel of speakers (the director, two of the film’s stars, a Chevy Volt owner and a Nissan Leaf owner) that he went out and bought an all-electric Nissan Leaf the next day!

Before seeing the film, Michel had done his homework and knew he wanted to take advantage of the current government incentives to promote electric vehicles. But that night, he knew the time was right.

The added bonus for Michel is that when he plugs in his new electric vehicle at home, he has enough solar panels (63 of them!) on his roof to power his home and the car. In fact, Michel is part of a growing group of “early adopters” who are driving around town in cars powered by sunshine instead of oil.

One hour’s worth of the sun’s rays hitting earth could supply all of earth’s electricity needs for a year. Only if it could be captured, that is. Michel captures as much of that sunlight as he can, to power his life and energize his spirit. He envisions a future where all households are run efficiently and powered by the sun. Part of his life’s pleasure is working towards achieving this himself, and extending his grace (and extra energy) towards others.

I never go to gas stations anymore. I’ve stopped giving oil companies my money. I feel a bit like a junkie who’s finally starting to kick her addiction.

It started with changing a light bulb or two. Then I started eating more local food from a CSA and less meat (Cows are up there with cars when it comes to emissions.) They were little things, like deciding to only buy California wine (not a major a sacrifice!). But they were enough to make me start realizing that there are things I can DO besides wring my hands when it comes to reducing my carbon footprint. I went a little further -- creating a video that has over 60,000 views on YouTube (link in footer) and a website on ocean acidification. However, I was still using electricity and driving a minivan.

My husband and I are not generally early adopters. We're careful with money. But we did our research, and so our next step was not just a vote for a new technology, but a practical move as well. We put ourselves on a waiting list for the Nissan Leaf, an all-electric car. In the meantime, we got solar panels on our house, producing way more energy than we needed for our energy-efficient house -- specifically planning for the electric car. That meant that when we got the car this summer, we just drove home and plugged it into the sun.

We haven’t invested in a charging station. We just use a regular outlet. We charge it overnight and can drive up to 100 miles on a charge. We try to maximize all our miles on it, so sometimes we get low on miles. Once when we got low, we stopped at my in-law's house, plugged it in there, went for a pleasant walk while it charged a bit, and then headed home. But generally speaking, 100 mile range is more than enough. It re-charges when you are stopping and going downhill so you can drive it up the mountain, and then watch it recharge all the way down.

The Nissan Leaf fits my two kids and a dog, and handles better than any car I've ever driven. And I really love never having to stop for gas! But it wasn't until a friend's daughter stopped by the other night with a bunch of her college-age friends to show off the car, and when another friend's 13-year old daughter took a picture of it with her smartphone to share with her friends, that I realized that while we chose it sight unseen purely to reduce our emissions, we've found ourselves driving something that really is very cool.

And indeed, with its touch-screen and rear camera, it feels like a luxury car, but without the luxury price. In fact, a $5,000 tax rebate we got covers the lease for the first year. Since we don’t pay for gas, the car is essentially free right now.

Obviously solar panels aren’t free, but they are a sound investment. We spent $18,000 after tax rebates on lots of solar panels. Here’s the simple math: $50/month electric bill + $200/month gasoline bill = payoff in 6 years. Electric is a lot cheaper than gasoline so it’s not exactly a fair comparison. But with expected inflation in electric costs and the fact we can now get paid for excess energy we produce, it still makes sense from a strictly economic perspective.

I can’t kid myself that I’m home free when it comes to the environment. What about the energy used to make my new electric car? What about all those plane flights we like to take? However, I am closer than I have ever been to feeling like it is indeed possible to be carbon neutral.

A few years ago, when my son was about 6, he liked me to read him Calvin & Hobbes comics. In one comic, Calvin says, “Hey mom, what’s this I hear about the greenhouse effect?” “They say the pollutants we dump in the air are trapping in the sun’s heat and its going to melt the polar ice caps!” “Sure, YOU’LL be gone when it happens, but I won’t! Nice planet you’re leaving me!”

His mom says, “This from the kid who wants to be chauffeured any place more than a block away.”

Calvin replies, “Hey, nobody told me about the ice caps, all right?”

Re-reading this comic to my young son 20 years after it was written in 1989, I realized how long I’ve known about global warming. And it’s not just theoretical anymore. The ice caps are melting. Disasters of all sorts (fires, floods, hurricanes, droughts) are increasing, and this is with 1-2 degrees of warming -- not the 11 or so that may happen in my children's lifetime. It will get worse, but our actions now determine how much worse.

The good news is that the technology now exists to dramatically reduce our emissions -- if we’re willing to make doing so a priority. And, at least in the case of things like the electric car, it’s actually a whole lot of fun!

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.

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.

If you picked up the Independent recently, you’ll remember a cover story they did on the ultra-sustainable Victoria Garden Mews Development. They dove head first into all the “green” features of the building including the rainwater harvesting system, drought tolerant landscaping, creative parking solutions, and more.

We were also glad to see an impressive solar array on the rooftop as well as energy efficient LED lighting throughout the property. When homes generate the energy they need, our community takes a step closer to a future that relies on renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.

All together, these features earned the building platinum LEED certification. The LEED score was the highest score ever given to a residential project. Now the development stands as an inspiring model for future green building projects. Read the full article >

We’re proud to congratulate the builder of the project and CEC’s board president, Dennis Allen. He was recently recognized by the City of Santa Barbara as a “Water Hero” for his work on Victoria Garden Mews – which also happens to be his new home. The building conserves the water it uses with dual flush toilets, low-flow showerheads, and faucet aerators. Beyond those measures, Allen raised the bar on water conservation by designing the building to collect rain water for watering the garden.

Read more about his recent recognition on Noozhawk and Edhat.

On August 9th, 2011 I saw the wheel on my electric service meter go backwards for the first time, and it was a wonderful, almost giddy feeling. Finally, my house was using the sun's rays to silently create the electricity I would be using to run the lights, appliances, computers, and other plug-in components of my life. I couldn't be happier.

I've followed the development of solar energy's capability to create electricity commercially for a long time. I was so disappointed in the early days to see that alternatives to oil and gas couldn't get the funding necessary to get started – that petroleum companies couldn't or wouldn't embrace the opportunity of being energy companies and fund the research and development of alternative energy sources themselves.

My life and my jobs kept me moving around from place to place for many years, but finally, 15 years ago, I settled down in Goleta and bought a house. I considered investing in solar panels from time to time through the years since then. The cost was the main obstacle, but I also needed to investigate my alternatives so I could make the best choice. I also had the nagging feeling that if I waited, the technology and therefore the cost would make it more affordable and efficient.

In the meantime, I've done what I could to live my life with the conservation of our natural resources in mind and to limit my contribution to waste and pollution. I drive my car (a Prius) as infrequently as possible, opting for biking and sharing rides and just not going to some events that require driving. I have rain barrels and a compost bin, a worm bin, and a community garden – the garden is shared with friends who can't have gardens of their own. I wash and reuse plastic zipped-locked bags and cut paper towels in half down the middle (something my Mother used to do). I hang my clothes to dry on a line in the backyard and on nifty clothes racks. My light bulbs are the energy efficient kind, of course, and my Christmas lights are LEDs. And I've finally trained myself to keep cloth bags in my car and with my bike and take them with me into the grocery store.

The Community Environmental Council's (CEC) Solarize Santa Barbara program came along at the same time that I decided that it was a good time to get out of one of my mutual fund investments. With the CEC taking on the hard work of choosing particular solar panel contractors to work with and negotiating reasonable costs and a rebate, it was obviously the time for me to get serious about installing solar panels. The process of signing up and getting an initial estimate was so easy. I was able to review the estimated costs and projected savings and talk to a representative from the REC Solar, the company that I was assigned to work with.

During this preliminary step, I pondered seriously whether installing solar panels was worth the cost and whether the projected 13-year payback period was a show-stopper. I was finally convinced that it was the right thing to do – good for the environment, a way to support the solar service companies, and a better investment for my money than the stock market. The immediate rebate and the Federal Tax Credit for solar installations also factored into my decision.

The installation process was trouble-free. Two very nice and experienced REC employees spent about a day and a half installing the racks, inverter unit, the panels, and the electric conduit from the panels to the inverter and then to my fuse box. Even though it was a foggy day when it was finally hooked up, the electric meter was going backward right before my eyes! It was a wonderful thing to see! I'm so glad the CEC's Solarize Santa Barbara program came along at the right time for me and that I was smart enough to take advantage of it.