Since the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, the U.S. national average temperature has climbed by 2.6 degrees, and the states have gotten hotter — many significantly.
These radical temperature increases caused by our carbon pollution are destabilizing our climate in alarming ways.
For example, here in California we have experienced devastating drought, extreme heat, huge wildfires and an intense series of atmospheric river rainstorms.
Climate scientists warn us that, without unprecedented emission reductions, our future weather will be even more extreme.
Clearly we must reduce our dependence on fossil fuels at an unprecedented speed and scale. This process will be difficult but much less costly than continuing to suffer from the dangerous consequences of an out-of-control climate.
Fortunately, we have already reduced our dependence on fossil fuels and our carbon pollution in some areas. And we already know the array of transformative policies and technologies we need to stabilize our climate.
The dedicated efforts of a wide array of elected officials, businesses, civic organizations and citizens are building the clean energy economy we need to preserve a livable world.
Led by President Joe Biden’s administration, Congress recently passed the “Inflation Reduction Act,” which includes numerous provisions to accelerate the transition to clean energy.
- It will lower energy costs by helping families switch to cheaper electricity for home heating, cooking and vehicles.
- It will build a new clean energy manufacturing economy by investing in refurbishing old factories; building new factories; requiring high wages; and mandating apprenticeship training.
- It will increase energy supply through investments in clean energy.
- It is fully paid for and will decrease our deficit by $238 billion.
- It will cut carbon pollution by 40% below peak levels by 2030.
Individuals and families on the Central Coast can benefit from the law’s provisions and related programs for clean and efficient home heating, cooking and vehicles.
If you live in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo or Ventura counties, our Community Environmental Council will help you navigate the various programs, incentives and technologies to make ditching fossil fuels easy and affordable.
The CEC has led environmental action in our region for more than 50 years. Now it is providing climate action leadership for our families and our communities. Its climate work includes policy, justice, resilience, clean energy and agriculture.
On April 29-30, the CEC will host our Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival in Alameda Park in downtown Santa Barbara. The event will include a green car show, more than 150 eco-friendly exhibitors, a food court, and a wine and beer garden.
Our local Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) volunteer group will be there. We invite you to visit our booth at the Earth Day Public Square, and attend our presentations at the Climate Action Stage at noon April 29 and noon April 30.
Santa Barbara’s CCL team is part of a nonpartisan grassroots volunteer organization with more than 200,000 members in chapters around the country.
Our core mission is to lobby for effective climate policy action by Congress. We work to build the political will for the climate policies needed to stabilize our climate. Our advocacy includes carbon pricing, building energy efficiency and electrification, healthy forests and clean energy permitting reform.
We urge you to join us at Santa Barbara Earth Day to learn about effective climate actions, how to include them in your daily life, and how to become an advocate for preserving a livable world.
We The People must demand decisive Climate Action Now!