Almost every product and service we rely on today is manufactured with or transported by some amount of fossil fuels. Of course, the most important thing we can do to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels is to use less. However, when you do make a purchase, we encourage you to shop for energy-smart products that use less energy.

Here at CEC, we're all about energy-smart products that help us move towards a fossil-free lifestyle and a fossil-free future for Santa Barbara.

Last time, you heard about Christa’s favorite gardening book and today, we're hearing from Megan Birney, CEC's Renewable Energy Specialist.

Favorite eco-product: Detours Toocan Utility Pannier
Price: $57.00
Owned it for: 2 years

When I switched from gas power to pedal power over 3 years ago I began a love affair with my bike.  It gets me where I need to go without much effort, saves a ton of money, actually slices my commute time to work (park and walk vs. pedal to the front door), and is a heck of a lot of fun.

But like every relationship there are ups and downs.  My issue was transporting life’s necessities: groceries, work computer, beach volleyball, and more.  The little basket on the front just wasn’t cutting it.  I found myself hauling a backpack and fearing the basket was going to break while speeding downhill on De La Vina from Trader Joes.

That is when I decided to convert my beach cruiser into a commuter bike.  The secret ingredients?  A rear bike rack and panniers.  As it turns out, it is much easier to pull cargo than to push it!  Not only did this upgrade double my cargo area, it also made it easier to tote my load from anywhere in town.

The rear rack provides a great base, but any old pannier just wouldn’t cut it for my needs.  I needed flexibility and longevity – and it needed to look good.  A survey of local bike shops lead me to the Detours Toocan Utility Pannier.

I love the storage capacity of the pannier, but importantly the design made it practical for almost anything.  With a hard, rubber bottom and an adjustable/removable shoulder strap, the bag stands on its own but is easy to carry. The design works great for the farmers market; it is sturdy enough to protect peaches and avocados and easy to clean. It also comes with a rain cover for those days when you forget to read the weather report and get caught in a downpour. I also love that it comes in a lot of different colors.  I got mine in mint green to match my bike – the “mint julep.”

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 >

Join CEC at workshops for prospective electric vehicle (EV) owners, with info about rebates, home charging units, and public fast-charging stations. The workshops will also include test drives and a conversation with current EV owners. Come to one of the workshops to learn one of these vehicles might work for you, or pass this announcement along to friends that might be considering a new car.

Free lunch is included but requires an RSVP.  RSVP today >

Santa Barbara Workshop

Saturday, January 28, 2012 | 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Santa Barbara MTD | 550 Olive St. | Santa Barbara, CA 93101
More event information...

Camarillo Workshop

Sunday, January 29, 2012 | 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Pleasant Valley School District Auditorium, 2222 E Ventura Blvd., Camarillo, CA 93010
More event information...

 

Why is CEC so interested in electric vehicles?

These revolutionary new vehicles are not only fun to drive, but they achieve approximately 100 mpg equivalent, produce zero tailpipe emissions, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75% (or 100% if you plug in to rooftop solar panels). By the end of this year, there will be a dozen new models of EVs of all shapes and sizes on the market.

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:

Steve Lange works here in Santa Barbara at Magellan’s Travel Supplies as the Web Production Manager. He used to commute to Camarillo, which would take 45 minutes to 1 hour each way. Sitting in his car in all the traffic for such a long commute was stressful and boring at the same time.

He knew he could do better.

When Steve started his current job in Santa Barbara he started biking for every day travel. During the work week, he hops on his Xtracycle – a longtail bike with extra room for cargo and/or his two sons. When he bikes to work, he drops the eldest boy off at elementary school and then bikes in to the office.

Not only does Steve’s family reduce carbon emissions with their bike commute, but they also avoid stressful morning traffic and enjoy the fresh morning air before the day begins.

Biking on the weekends has also become a part of their family’s activities. They love to load up their Xtracycle with camping gear on weekends or bike out to Ellwood for a beach day.

After he made the switch to a bike, he was reminded of the inconvenient aspects of driving his car that he had grown accustomed to. The process of finding the closest parking lot, then waiting in line to park, then finding a spot, and then worrying about how long the car can stay in the lot... It’s nuts.

Like most people, it took a mental leap for Steve to transition out of his drive-everywhere-for-everything mentality. Today he uses whatever mode of transportation is most appropriate for the task. If the trip is under 3-5 miles, he finds it is usually faster to bike than to drive, as bikes can roll right up to a destination without the hassle of parking. While he still uses a car from time to time, he advises “don’t get stuck in one way of thinking. There are many ways to get around – just pick the one that makes the most sense.”

Everything clicked for Steve once he made the switch to an alternative commute: he dropped 40 pounds, he doesn’t have to deal with a car for short trips, and he enjoys Santa Barbara more. He feels like he’s getting away with something, like he’s leading a better life than most people because he bikes for transportation.

Who knew it could be so simple?

CEC, the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, and the Coalition for Sustainable Transportation (COAST) developed a questionnaire for candidates running for Santa Barbara City Council. The questionnaire focused on current transportation issues, such as the attractiveness of alternative transportation and the jobs/housing imbalance.

We asked the following questions:

1. Do you agree with the City's Circulation Element vision statement, "Santa Barbara should be a city in which alternative forms of transportation and mobility are so available and so attractive that use of an automobile is a choice, not a necessity"? If not, how would you improve it?
2. Given that dangerous walking conditions that exist in Santa Barbara's Eastside, what might you do to make the Eastside a safer place to walk - more lighting, re-pavement of crosswalks, speed bumps, more police enforcement, or something else?
3. Is it the City's duty to improve the jobs/housing imbalance in Santa Barbara? If so, what would you have the City do to accomplish this? If not, how can this imbalance be best addressed?
4. Please list three specific things you would prioritize to improve our regional transportation. How would you pay for them? How long would it take to accomplish them?
5. Do you support the State of California's goals for new and retrofitted "net zero energy" buildings that generate as much energy as they use? If so, how can the City be a leader and help its citizens meet this challenge? If not, why?
6. Given projections of increased traffic levels in Santa Barbara, how would you best mitigate our upcoming street congestion?

Eight Santa Barbara City Council candidates responded to the questionnaire. As CEC’s status as a 501(c)(3) does not allow us to endorse candidates, the unedited answers are provided here:

Responses sorted by candidate		Responses sorted by question
Sharon Byrne		Question 1
Iya Falcone		Question 2
Dale Fransisco		Question 3
Jerry Matteo		Question 4
Cathy Murrillo		Question 5
Randy Rowse		Question 6
Deborah Schwartz
Michael Self

Please vote, and remember that the City of Santa Barbara’s upcoming election is entirely vote by mail.

• Monday, October 10: Voter Information packets mailed including pre-paid postage for returned ballots
• Monday, October 10: Vote-by-mail period begins
• Monday, October 24: Last day to register to vote
• Tuesday, November 8: Election Day - Last day City Clerk’s Office can receive vote-by-mail ballots.  There will be also be five drop-off centers throughout the City, allowing voters the option to vote in person
• Three City Councilmember seats are on the ballot.

More information at www.SBCityVote.org

Dr. Timothy Rodgers and his wife Pamela live in a 1948 home near Hendry's Beach. Over the years, they've been on a mission to retrofit their home to make more energy efficient. They've replaced single paned windows with double paned, added insulation to the attic, and replaced halogen lights with LEDs. Making a home more efficient is highly recommended before adding solar panels because "you don't want to have to pay for a system that's any larger than you need," Timothy says.

After talking with 6-8 solar contractors and getting several bids, he contracted with REC Solar to install an 8.4 kW solar system on a hillside on his property in 2009. "We went with an 18-year lease – they do all the maintenance, manage any equipment that might break, and will replace the inverter when it dies, which is expected to be after 10 years."

Recently, Timothy was ready to make another statement reflecting his environmental ethic. "I love cars, and I like the idea of electric cars. When the price of gas hit $4.50/gallon, I thought 'that's it!' First, I went to test drive the Tesla Roadster, then I went to the Community Environmental Council's Earth Day Festival, which includes a large Green Car Show. There were three Tesla owners showing their personal vehicles. I was still on the fence, but hearing them rave about their experiences really helped." He ordered an electric blue Tesla Roadster that week.

The only concern that Timothy had was with the range of the car; in electric vehicles circles, this is known as "range anxiety." Although he still owns a gas-fueled sedan, he wanted to see how the Tesla would handle on a longer trip to San Francisco. Because public charging stations are just starting to come online, his ideal midpoint stopping place – King City – didn't have a station. Instead he stopped for a couple of hours in Atascadero and briefly in Salinas, both times refueling at a Rabobank, which offered free public charging, fueled by solar panels on the roofs "so I was still driving on sunshine, even away from home."

Despite what might seem like complex technology, Roger repeatedly said that the process to install solar and purchase an electric vehicle was seamless, with user-friendly systems that allows him to engage with the technology. "There is a transmitter on my solar inverter that sends out data on the amount of electricity that I generate and use, which I can pull up on my computer," said Timothy. "It's kind of nerdy, but I like to see how I'm doing."

Combining solar panels and electric vehicles makes ditching fossil fuels closer than ever. Transportation and home energy costs make up the vast majority of the average person's energy use. By eliminating reliance on dirty energy in these areas, Fossil Free by '33 is well within reach.

Article modified from original submission to Seasons Magazine.

Every fall, many parents gear up for the chauffeuring duties that come with the start of the school year. Some of these parents are driving twice a day from as far as Montecito to Dos Pueblos High School – 15 miles x 2 round trips x 5 days adds up to 300 miles and 7-15 hours in the car per week, depending on traffic.

CEC and Traffic Solutions' Walk & Roll program and website provides resources and encouragement for families to carpool, bike, walk or take the bus to school. For example, at Dos Pueblos, we are working with the PTSA Traffic Committee to organize a carpooling registry that will help decrease the school's notorious morning traffic. Families can connect with neighbors and arrange carpools, saving time and gasoline.

The Walk & Roll website also has information on MTD's school booster buses, resources for biking and walking, and news and events. While Walk & Roll primarily works with high school families, COAST's Safe Routes to School has great programming in many of the elementary and junior high schools.

Commit this school year to using alternative transportation to get your kids to school. Try picking one alternative transit day per week and see how it goes. If you already do that, up the ante and add a few more days (or the full week!) to your routine. Driving less saves time, money and gasoline, and reduces traffic, pollution, and stress levels.

Check out www.Walk-Roll.org for more ideas. Share your own ideas and experiences with alternative transit on our Facebook page...

You may already know why we think electric vehicles (EVs) are so cool. EVs are around 3x more efficient than gasoline vehicles – that's how the EPA rates them around 100 mpg equivalent. They produce zero tailpipe emissions, and on California's clean grid, they produce around 75% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a comparable gasoline car.

Since the new generation of EVs started to hit the market this year, most of the questions we've heard are about range, permitting, rebates and how to actually purchase one. Here's what you need to know:

Range and charging

• Many commuters find that they can make most, if not all, of their daily trips solely on electricity. The Chevy Volt has a 40 mile battery range and then can travel over 300 miles on gasoline. The Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus EV, and many other all-electric vehicles have a 70-100 mile range.
• Most recharging is done overnight at home. CEC's Plug in Santa Barbara is working to get more public stations in place this year.
• Many drivers install a 240-volt (Level 2) charging station in their garage and recharge the battery at night, when the cost of electricity is lower. Visit SCE for a calculator with various charging rates and other information. It generally takes about 3 to 8 hours to recharge from a Level 2 station, depending on the vehicle.

Permits

• To install a 240-volt charging station, contact a licensed electrical contractor. The process is similar to installing a hot tub – your electrician will arrange the permit and inspection.

Rebates

• A federal tax credit of up to $7,500, and a more limited California rebate of $2,500 are available.
• More information on rebates...

Making a purchase

• These vehicles are in such high demand that manufacturers are increasing production volumes. Meanwhile they are difficult to find on the lot, so contact a local dealer to get on the waiting list.
• By 2012, there are expected to be a dozen electric vehicles on the market, so the supply may be less constrained.

To track the latest news on these models, stay in touch with CEC through Facebook and our e-newletter.

Also, check out a green car show to see them for yourself. CEC hosts three shows per year where you can check out all the new electric vehicles. Shows in 2012 are scheduled for: Santa Barbara (April 21-22), Ventura (July 4) and Santa Maria (TBD). You can watch a 6 minute tour of the 2011 Green Car Show on CEC's website.

Do you already own an EV? We want to hear about your experience! Shoot a quick email to Michelle at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Electric cars get 100 mpg equivalent, produce zero tailpipe emissions, and reduce carbon pollution by 75% on California's green electric grid. Many Santa Barbarans are buying electric cars and we're starting to see a Volt or Leaf on the road almost every day. Since more public charging stations will make it easier to drive electric, CEC has been working to bring stations to our region.

Since we last wrote about this project in May 2011 we have some exciting news.

Coulomb Technologies -- a leading provider of electric vehicle charging stations -- has doubled the number of universal charging stations that it is looking to install in Santa Barbara County, from 25 to 50.

It has also expanded the scope of the program to include North County, and we are working with partners to place 100 stations in Ventura County.

Over the last 2 months, CEC has been helping Coulomb review potential locations for the charging stations, throughout Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Solvang, Santa Maria, and Lompoc. The next step will be to determine the top 50 sites based on highest potential use, lowest installation cost, and geographic distribution throughout the county. We are hoping the first stations will be installed and open to the public this fall.

The charging stations are being installed for free as part of the ChargePoint America program, a public-private $37 million partnership to put in 4,600 charging stations in key cities across America by the end of 2011. In our county, installing a new 240 volt charging station built in a parking area that was designed with EVs in mind – such as the Granada Garage or Isla Vista's new solar carport parking lot – could be as inexpensive as $1,500. In other sites where service upgrades, new panels, trenching, or other retrofits are needed, the price could be as high as $15,000. This highlights the advantage of "pre-wiring" for EVs during new construction or renovations.

Santa Barbara has been identified as one of the top four early-adopter markets for electric vehicles in Southern California. Earlier this year, major car manufacturers began offering fully-functional models such as the Nissan LEAF and Chevy Volt, and about a dozen models will likely be available next year.

Learn more:

• Visit www.PlugInSB.org
• Follow our updates on Facebook
• Subscribe to our blog to get CEC updates delivered to your email.

"I happily participated in the Green Car Show Ride and Drive this past April and was able to drive a Nissan Leaf.  I am a Prius driver, thus knew what to look for when trying out an all-electric car.  Nissan did an excellent job making the Leaf a very 'consumer-friendly' automobile.  The Leaf was comfortable, spacious and even fun to drive.  Most importantly, I didn’t feel as though I was driving a 'golf cart'.

The CEC did a great job to provide our community with the opportunity to view and even drive a multitude of alternative vehicles in their Green Car Show. I look forward to following CEC's Plug In Santa Barbara efforts."

-- Jeff C., Santa Barbara

Jeff plans to lease an electric vehicle.

We’re half way through May, which means we’re half way through National Bike Month! It also means we’re well into CycleMAYnia – a month-long celebration of bicycling events in our community. Check out the CycleMAYnia event page for the events going on through the end of the month.

CEC is celebrating by participating in Traffic Solutions’ Bike Challenge -- a friendly competition with five-member teams making round-trips by bike instead of by car. Team members log the days they bike on their online Commute Calendar. Each team must have two “converts” to qualify for prizes (a convert is someone who doesn’t normally bike for transportation). Each team gets a chance to win prizes and the highly sought-after title of Bike Challenge Champs.

This sort of thing is right up CEC’s alley. We gathered 5 CEC staffers to form an unstoppable team – the Clean Energy Crusaders. We’ve got:

• Megan “cute cruiser” Birney [Advocate]
• Michael “I do this for a living” Chiacos [Advocate]
• Eileen “lifelong biker” Daley [Advocate]
• Christa “mighty Mom” Backson [Convert]
• Michelle “I’m new here” Kitson [Convert]

Together, we’re a force to be reckoned with. At the close of week 1, we logged over 100 miles of bike commutes!

If you’re bike commuting to celebrate Bike Month too, check out CEC’s Amazon Store. We’ve packed it full of the type of bike accessories that we love. Plus, if you see something you like and you buy it through CEC’s Amazon site, a percentage of your purchase will come back to CEC – quite an earth friendly purchase.

We’ll see you out in the bike lanes!

Great news for electric vehicle (EV) owners and prospective owners on the South Coast - Coulomb Technologies, a leading provider of electric vehicle charging stations, is providing 25 (or more) charging stations to Santa Barbara County.  As the first universal charging stations in our region, they will make it easier to drive an EV. Since Santa Barbara is a large early-adopter market, many of our residents are already driving the Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt, or will soon be driving some of the 12 EVs due on the market next year.

The new stations will be open to the public and strategically placed throughout the region, clustered in the areas of highest potential use, like downtown public parking lots. They are offered as Coulomb expands its ChargePoint America program, a public-private $37 million partnership to install 4,600 charging stations in key cities across America by the end of 2011.

Electric vehicles are a major component of CEC’s Fossil Free by ‘33 vision because they get around 100mpg equivalent and run on electricity instead of oil.

California is an exceptional place to leverage the benefits of EVs because our SoCal Edison grid already contains almost 20% renewable energy.

This will increase to 33% by 2020, so EVs actually get cleaner as they age. Due to California's cleaner grid, an EV here emits around 75% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a comparable gasoline car. An added bonus - residents with solar panels on their roof can take it a step further by charging their electric vehicle at home. This means they're driving on sunshine!

Want to know more?

CEC leads Plug in Santa Barbara, a group of cities, businesses, utilities and others working to build charging stations and make it easier to use EVs.  In fact, this group was essential in attracting these charging stations to Santa Barbara. Learn more at www.PluginSB.org and "like" us on Facebook to get the latest news.

Experience cutting-edge technology first hand by taking an electric vehicle for a “ride and drive” at the 12th annual Green Car Show, held at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival. At the Green Car Show, CEC hosts the largest collection of efficient and alternative-fueled vehicles between LA and San Francisco.

This year we feature the latest electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles, like the Chevy Volt and the Nissan LEAF, and some are available for a test drive. We’re also showcasing vehicles that run on hydrogen, ethanol, biodiesel and compressed natural gas.

The Green Car Show helps CEC launch our new program Plug In Santa Barbara as we work to bring electric vehicle charging stations to the Central Coast and make it easier to use EVs in Santa Barbara. Get ready for plug-in electric vehicles and follow our updates on Facebook.