cecsb
By the Community Environmental Council
Last Thursday, July 6, 2023, an estimated 1,000+ community members turned out at 1219 State Street in downtown Santa Barbara’s ARTS District to officially open the Community Environmental Council’s new Environmental Hub—the first of its kind facility on California’s Central Coast.
CEC Board Chair Barbara S. Lindemann kicked off a pre-reception for donors, staff, board and special friends of the Community Environmental Council (CEC), stating, “Here (CEC’s Hub) ideas will percolate, leading to new ideas, leading to action—it is a wonderful catalyst for change.”
Numerous speakers shared their impressions, including Jon Clark, President of the James S. Bower Foundation and former CEO of CEC, who reflected that, “CEC is grounded and optimistic at the same time. CEC understands the connection between the small and the big—that personal actions matter, but if they are not connected to policy they don’t have the same impact, and that policy that is not connected to day-to-day activity doesn’t have the same impact. CEC takes risks when the time is right. And finally, CEC does everything in community.”
At 5:00 p.m. the doors opened to the public and at 5:30 p.m. Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse and CEC CEO Sigrid Wright, along with many others, cut the ribbon to a standing-room-only crowd. It was a night filled with energy, excitement and anticipation for what is possible in this new space committed to bringing climate action and community together in the heart of the Central Coast.
Learn more about The Hub here.
Inaugural Community Art Exhibition: “Return of the Western Monarch Butterfly: A Photographic Exhibit and Scientific Roadmap for Protecting this Endangered Species”
CEC’s Environmental Hub serves both as our staff’s headquarters and as a space for community innovation and collaboration. Given the location of the Environmental Hub, the intention around the intersectional work happening in the space, and CEC’s mission to grow a diverse community of climate activists, an important component of the space is to showcase local artists.
Our inaugural installation features Elizabeth Weber’s “Return of the Western Monarch Butterfly: A Photographic Exhibit and Scientific Roadmap for Protecting this Endangered Species.” Elizabeth is an independent documentary photographer and instills a commitment to environmental awareness and preservation into her work. The pieces that are displayed in CEC’s Environmental Hub are created from photos taken along the Central Coast, and focus on the western monarch butterflies that once overwintered in California by the millions and whose population has reduced by 90% from the 1980s due to climate change, loss of habitat, and pesticide use.
Members of the community can view the exhibit Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at CEC’s Environmental Hub (1219 State Street, Santa Barbara). Join us for a Western Monarch Butterfly Panel Discussion on August 9 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for an opportunity to learn about what you can do to help protect this iconic butterfly and its migration. You can learn more about the artist here.
Work at the Epicenter of Climate Action: Office Space and Hot Desk Opportunities
A small handful of private offices are still available for lease and weekly and monthly hot desk memberships will go live later this summer. Leasees of offices and hot desks have access to the kitchen, break area, phone booth, and atrium seating. In addition, leasees receive discounted rates on meeting and event spaces. Interested in learning more? Email reserve@envirohubsb.org to inquire.
In addition, 2,000 square feet of prime State Street real estate is available on the second floor of the building. The space includes State Street storefront windows and entrance and sweeping views of the Granada Theater. Contact Geoffrey Carter at The Miramar Group for more information at geoffrey@miramarsb.com or (805) 233-7988.
(courtesy photos)
Host Your Next Gathering at The Hub: Available for Meetings and Events
Located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara’s ARTS District, CEC’s Environmental Hub was designed with the community in mind. In addition to hosting the official offices of CEC, the Environmental Hub offers meeting and event rental space to accommodate up to 200 guests in a variety of configurations—from film screenings to lectures, private meetings to receptions and parties. Discounts given to nonprofits, B corp companies, educational institutions, and government agencies. To learn more click here.
The woodwork wall with the donors’ names was beautiful.
This is a great idea and I believe such a Hub will work, but even if it needs tweaking, CEC is the vehicle to respond to changing issues.
For myself, I was ‘there’ as a journalist and Sierra Club activist when the CEC was formed, along with Environmental Defense Center, Get Oil Out! and others that cropped up later. It all happened after 1969 when the infamous Platform A blew out in the SB Channel and oil soiled miles of beaches throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura. The oil was soaked up by straw and other basic methods, often using prisoners.
Having seen and reported on all this happening over 40+ years, I feel like living history, which I mentioned to Sigrid (CEC’s director). We were two veterans of the oil and environmental wars overlooking an amazing Hub in 2023 of young people carrying on the mission of cleaning up our act, fighting climate change etc.
It’s a wonderful feeling that such things can actually happen beyond dreams.
But the work is not yet done, the Refugio Oil spill (May 2015) from the Plains-All-American pipeline really was the last straw for the oil industry here.
On June 2021, a final Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan was approved for $22 million in damages. The plan includes:
$6.1 million to restore subtidal and fish habitats
$5.5 million to restore shoreline habitats
$2.3 million to restore marine mammals
$2.2 million to restore birds
$3.9 million to restore recreation opportunities impact by the spill
$2 million for additional planning, project implementation and oversight
Well, progress is indeed slow sometimes, but without the work of CEC, the Sierra Club, EDC, GOO! and so many others like Channel Keeper, non-profit conservancies and Food and Water Watch, we shall prevail.