Become One of Santa Barbara’s Climate Stewards

Enrollment is now open for the next cohort of Climate Stewards on the Central Coast. A Climate Stewards certification offers community members the resources, education, and encouragement to take action on the climate crisis in their own backyards. 

The Community Environmental Council (CEC) runs the nine-week certification course every year. As the only nonprofit in the area to deliver the program, they’ve certified more than 130 Climate Stewards thus far.  

To date, a network of more than 30 programs, working in partnership with the University of California, has certified nearly 1,000 climate stewards throughout California. 

“The climate crisis is too big and complex to be solved by one single organization, policy, or system,” said the CEC’s Vhief Executive Officer Sigrid Wright. 

“We must mobilize people and resources to ensure that the climate crisis is seen as an immediate, real, and present danger that affects just about every issue we care about.”  

Led by the CEC’s Director of Climate Education and Leadership Kathi King, the 10-week program aims to educate participants on how they can engage with the CEC and other groups on the Central Coast to address and alleviate climate impacts.  

“It’s been amazing getting to know all these people who are willing to take time out of their busy schedules to do this work,” said King, who has instructed the course since it began in 2020. “It’s really heartwarming and inspiring.” 

The more than 40-hour course promises a mix of class sessions held on Zoom and a few in-person field trips, including hands-on, experiential learning with peers, culminating in a capstone project for participants to explore an issue that bears personal significance to them. 

King explained that the class is held on Zoom to make it accessible to people with busy daily schedules.

“And it’s fun! People get to know each other through breakout rooms and peer discussions,” King said. “When they come back, they’re always smiling.” 

She added that they’re working to make an alumni group for Climate Stewards to keep up with each other’s projects and stay connected. When asked if any projects over the last three years stood out to her, she said there’s “been so many, it’s hard to pick just one.”

For example, King described a retired woman who took the course after joining a retirement community with her husband. Shortly after taking the course, she started a climate change discussion group there and even helped the kitchen start composting.

“We’ve had a lot of staff at local nonprofits take the class, to add to their organizations and update their facilities — like the CEO of Planned Parenthood Central Coast, who wanted to make the connection between women’s health and climate change,” King continued. “Many of them include climate messaging and solutions in their work after taking the course.”

Climate Stewards cohorts typically involve a group of 25 individuals. The course fee is $300, accounting for instructor time and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources course fees. However, scholarships are available for those who express financial need, and no one will be turned away due to a lack of funds, the CEC says. 

The CEC’s winter 2024 course will meet weekly beginning January 31 through March 27, 2024. Prospective participants are invited to learn more about the course and hear from Climate Steward alumni during a free webinar this Thursday, November 30, from 6:30-7:45 p.m. Register for the webinar here.