Blog
A space for learning.
Circular Economy 101: Closing the Life Cycle Loop
Join us for an introduction to a new model – the circular economy – that requires producers to take responsibility, save energy, design waste out of the system, and create a market for re-use.
LOSS: SB 54 and AB 1080 fail to pass California legislature
CEC and Santa Barbara Channelkeeper are sad to share that the landmark California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act (SB 54 and AB 1080) failed to pass the California legislature.
Creating a Shock-Proof Local Food System
Over the last few months, we’ve witnessed in real time how shocks to the globalized food system impact one of the most basic human rights: the right to healthy, accessible food. Entangled in the global COVID-19 pandemic and climate-related disasters are layers of wealth, race, privilege and language that affect the ability of Central Coast communities to survive and thrive.
In this webinar, we explored how CEC’s Food Rescue program and other local efforts are working to support those most vulnerable to hunger – particularly students, unsheltered populations, farm workers and seniors. We also discussed the work of the Santa Barbara County Food Action Network to equitably stitch together the torn fabrics of our food system – from local farmers and fishermen, to local restaurants and distributors.
TEDxSantaBarbara: The Pandemic Did Not Solve the Climate Crisis
CEC’s CEO Sigrid Wright recently joined TEDxSantaBarbara‘s Mark Sylvester to discuss the Five Important Trends for the Climate as part of TEDxSantaBarbara’s Making Waves: Conversations with Influencers and Disrupters.
Inside Julia’s Kitchen: Meet Julia Blanton, SBC Food Rescue Program Coordinator
Recently on Inside Julia’s Kitchen, a podcast of The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, host Todd Schulkin talked with CEC’s SBC Food Rescue Coordinator Julia Blanton about food rescue and how it has been used to address food insecurity and put restaurants back to work during the Covid-19 pandemic. Plus, Julia shares her “Julia Moment”.
Unraveling the Kinks in the Local Food Chain to Build and Sustain a Resilient Food System
Like a heat map, the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to areas of strain, places where we need to pay greater attention. One of the most noticeable of these is the food system.
Food Resilience During the Pandemic: Habits to Learn and Systems to Strengthen
Here’s what we know: a local, diversified and equitable food system can be one of our best defenses in moments of community crisis. CEC's Food and Climate Program Manager shares how food system resilience is at the foundation of community resilience, which is the foundation of climate resilience.
The Light Blue Line: 13 Years Later
In 2007 a proposal to stripe a blue line throughout downtown Santa Barbara would have shown the potential sea level rise in our fair city as a result of climate change. I was shocked to see how much of the community would be impacted — sandy beaches gone, coastal habitats lost, neighborhoods wiped out, and transportation corridors flooded.
Battling Climate Change with Healthy Soils
CEC is excited to announce that, in partnership with the Ventura County Resource Conservation District, the Limoneira Company, Agromin, and the UC Cooperative Extension, we have been awarded a grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture to study and demonstrate the benefits of soil health and “carbon farming” practices in Ventura County.
Combatting Hunger and Pollution with CalRecycle Grant
Food waste makes up nearly 20 percent of California’s disposal stream. At CEC, we are proud to share we were one of 36 grant recipients chosen by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to work toward projects that prevent waste, reduce pollution, and combat climate change by getting good food to Californians who need it.
