Our Climate Emergency During the Pandemic:
A Virtual Community Forum
June 10, 2020

Thank you to everyone who attended – and special thanks to 350 Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Public Library and our speakers, Irene Cook, Ana Rosa Rizo-Centino and Emily Williams for their time, energy and partnership – CEC and the League of Women Voters are so pleased that you joined us for this important discussion about continuing climate action during challenging times.

Webinar recording

Links to resources that came up in conversation during the forum:

• Source for 40% of people talking about climate change:
  https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us/
• Article that defines Central Coast geography: https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Reg_Report-SUM-CCCA4-2018-006_CentralCoast_ADA.pdf
• Washington Post article about Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties warming faster than rest of lower 48 states. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/climate-environment/climate-change-california/
• California’s 4th assessment: www.climateassessment.ca.gov
• Drawdown website for more about the book that details the top 100 ways to reduce climate change: www.drawdown.org
• CEC’s Solarize program: www.solarize.org
• CEC’s Electric Drive 805 initiative: www.Electricdrive805.org
• CEC’s recent EV 101 webinar: https://www.cecsb.org/ev-101/
• Article that includes a link to the Black Lives Matter demands, and how the City of Santa Barbara has responded: https://www.edhat.com/news/santa-barbara-city-council-moves-forward-with-black-lives-matter-demands
• Article about the Farmworker Movement, and there’s a population in both SB and Ventura counties: https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/09/16/440861458/grapes-of-wrath-the-forgotten-filipinos-who-led-a-farmworker-revolution
• Battery storage company with leasing options: www.swellenergy.com
• CEC staff Sharyn Main’s reflection on the Light Blue Line: https://www.independent.com/2020/03/04/the-light-blue-line-13-years-later/
• Additional info on battery storage: The federal tax credit (26%) brings the price of batteries down significantly, as do some smaller incentives from the “Self generation incentive program” (SGIP) program. The question of reasonably priced is personal, but there are batteries that come in around ~$10,000 after the incentives.  These batteries will also save you money on your electricity bill by allowing you to use the stored energy from your solar system to avoid purchasing electricity from the grid when it is most expensive in the evening. CEC doesn’t recommend specific battery brands at this point, but does recommend that you purchase a battery that can be charged and discharged daily, rather than only being used for emergency backup.
• CEC staff member April Price is happy to answer your questions: [email protected]. Our Solarize program, launching later this summer, will also offer some battery deals.
• The Red Deal is the indigenous response to the Green New Deal. It includes recognition of the importance of land sovereignty, and respect of indigenous cultures. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/red-deal-indigenous-climate-plan-green-new-deal-red-nation
• Full description of Red Deal: https://therednation.org/2019/09/22/the-red-deal/
• Recording of talk with Elizabeth Rush about her book Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore: https://www.library.ucsb.edu/events-exhibitions/free-online-community-talk-ucsb-reads-author
• Kate Raworth, author of Donut Economics – https://www.kateraworth.com
• Kate Raworth is also featured in the new film 2040 about climate change that is currently streaming: www.whatsyour2040.com
• Gail Osherenko’s film about the 2015 oil spill: http://www.broketheoilspillfilm.com/
• Broke film on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Broke-Gail-Osherenko/dp/B07KXJX5VJ
• Film about plastic pollution impacts: https://www.storyofplastic.org/
• CEC’s email list sign-up

League of Women Voters

Join the League by visiting their website and following them on Facebook or Twitter
Learn more about LWV’s work on environmental issues and how they are fighting climate change
Contact President Vijaya Jammalamadaka at 805 462-7126 or [email protected] for additional information and to get involved

Fearless Grandmothers Society of Santa Barbara

Learn more by visiting their website or following them on Facebook or Twitter
Contact them by email: [email protected]

350 Santa Barbara

Learn more and subscribe to their newsletter by visiting their website and follow them on Facebook or Twitter
Contact them by email: [email protected]
Explore factsheets linking past and current extreme weather events to climate change (co-authored by Emily Williams)
Read A Global Pandemic is not a Climate Solution
Watch Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s video on the Green New Deal

Food & Water Watch

Learn more by visiting their website and follow them on Facebook or Twitter
Review and share the Grass Roots Green New Deal Virtual House Meeting Toolkit