She’s Our Hero
Annie Leonard, executive director of Greenpeace USA, is the recipient of the Santa Barbara’s Community Environmental Council’s 2021 Environmental Hero Award.
“Her work exemplifies what it means to build the broad, boots-on-the-ground base of activism that we need to go all in together on the climate crisis,” says the CEC executive director Sigrid Wright, who will present the award at the Earth Day Festival in April along with UCSB’s Dehlsen chair of environmental studies David Pellow.
Leonard is also the founder of The Story of Stuff and previously spent two decades working on international sustainability as well as environmental and health issues.
She says California is the “pace car” in the climate race – meaning both state and regional organizations like the CEC have a huge responsibility in moving the world forward.
Leonard joins an esteemed list of heroes including activist Paul Hawken, U.S. Congress members Lois Capps and Salud Carbajal, Titanic film director James Cameron, science educator Bill Nye, actress Daryl Hannah, and Tesla Motors magnate Elon Musk.
Community Environmental Council
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www.cecsb.org
(805) 963-0583
CEO: Sigrid Wright
Mission
CEC builds on-the-ground momentum to reverse the threat of the climate crisis. We transform the systems that fuel it. We safeguard the community from its impacts. We lead, we partner, we act. And every day, we move people to create a more resilient Central Coast.
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We know you care about where your money goes and how it is used. Connect with this organization’s leadership in order to begin to build this important relationship. Your email will be sent directly to this organization’s director of development and/or Executive Director.
Clear Thinking on Climate Change
“We have a responsibility to be good stewards of the land, and appreciate CEC’s invaluable guidance and technical support to help ensure we’re protected from climate impacts.”
Help Us Grow the Future of Climate-Smart Agriculture
A few years ago, second-generation farmers Mikey and Gina Giugni took over a vineyard near Avila Beach. With hands-on support from the Community Environmental Council – including land use planning, species selection, and grant navigation – they transformed it from a conventional operation into a thriving, organic ecosystem.
Stories like this are made possible through CEC’s Central Coast AgLink, which connects land stewards with one-on-one guidance, tools, and funding to adopt climate-smart practices.
A gift of $50,000 or more supports AgLink’s core operations – removing barriers to millions in available public funds.
With your help, AgLink can scale its impact, ensuring the Central Coast leads in regenerative agriculture and climate resilience.
Key Supporters Foundations
Ann Jackson Family Foundation
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Crawford Idema Family Foundation
El Gato Channel Foundation
G. A. Fowler Family Foundation
Hutton Parker Foundation
James S. Bower Foundation
John C. Mithun Foundation
Kenneth Rainin Foundation
Kind World Foundation
Lewis Greenwood Foundation
Linked Foundation
Living Peace Foundation
Mosher Foundation
Natalea Orfalea Foundation
Outhwaite Charitable Trust
Patricia Bragg Foundation
Santa Barbara Foundation
Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
The Kirby-Jones Foundation
The Little One Foundation
The Lucky One Foundation
Tomchin Family Foundation
Zegar Family Foundation