Building Resilience in the Face of Extreme Heat: A Call to Action
It’s August, and extreme heat season is upon us on California’s Central Coast. We’ve already had multiple high temperature alerts throughout the tri-counties (plus the flood watch issued earlier this week due to the unprecedented tropical storms unleashed in our region by Hurricane Hilary), and long-term heat trends keep rising. Ventura County is warming faster than any other county in the contiguous U.S., with neighboring Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties not far behind. In 2021, Ventura County alone experienced 20 extreme heat events—more than any previously recorded years.
The Community Environmental Council (CEC) and its partners are working on solutions to make our community more prepared for, and resilient to, the impacts of extreme heat, wildfires, floods, and other climate impacts. You can learn more about some of our recent work below.
Building Resilience in the Face of Extreme Heat: A Call to Action
Last week, in partnership with Gray Panthers Santa Barbara Network and the Society of Fearless Grandmothers Santa Barbara, we hosted our inaugural Extreme Heat Forum aimed at empowering seniors to protect themselves during heat events and to engage with community resilience activities in their communities. Watch the recording of the event, read the Santa Barbara Independent article about the event, and check out the KEYT coverage.
And just today, the Santa Barbara Independent published an op-ed on this topic written in collaboration with David Lebell. M.D.. In the piece, David and I outline critical steps our region’s leaders should take to protect our most vulnerable community members from extreme heat events, and how individuals can prepare and protect themselves. The key message is that heat waves are on the rise, and we must act now, together, to build extreme heat resilience in our communities.
CEC Joins the Extreme Heat Resilience Alliance
Recently, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) was named a member of the national Extreme Heat Resilience Alliance (EHRA), an initiative of the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center (Arsht-Rock). As an EHRA member, CEC will bring awareness to the increasing threat of extreme heat events in California’s Central Coast Region and catalyze initiatives to help the Central Coast prepare for future heat events. Read the press release.
Learn More about How to Prepare for Extreme Heat Events
Access our extreme heat resources to help you protect yourself and your loved ones during extreme heat events, learn about community initiatives, and find out how to take local action. Watch our recent webinar featuring local and national experts leading the way on extreme heat resilience, and read about CEC’s ongoing initiative to establish neighborhood resilience hubs that will serve as places of shelter and support during times of crisis, including heat events. Learn more about preparing for extreme heat.
Read About Our Broader Resilience Work
CEC Awarded Grant to Help Farmers Create Pollinator Habitat
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) awarded a nearly $2 million grant through its Pollinator Habitat Program to the Cachuma Resource Conservation District, and its partners (Community Environmental Council, Santa Barbara Botanical Garden, and Ventura County Resource Conservation District), to boost pollinator habitat on agricultural lands along California’s Central Coast. Read the press release.
Applications are currently open for farmers and ranchers.
CEC’s Molly Taylor Weighs In on the Importance of SB 675 for Wildfire Prevention
In a recent article highlighting the benefits of prescribed grazing for wildfire management and carbon sequestration, CEC’s Senior Climate Projects Manager Molly Taylor explained why Senate Bill 675 would be an important step for incorporating prescribed grazing into the State’s arsenal of fire management measures. Introduced by Senator Monique Limón, SB 675 would expand the definition of fire prevention activities to include prescribed grazing, and it would require California fire and forestry officials to consider it as an option for reducing wildfire hazards.
New Meeting, Event, and Work Space in the Heart of Downtown Santa Barbara
Looking for an innovative and collaborative space to host your next meeting or event? Been looking for a collaborative space to work from–CEC’s Environmental Hub has Hot Desks available too. Visit envirohub.org for more information about how to rent space/a desk in CEC’s Environmental Hub.
