environment

Watershed Brigade Trails & Turnouts Dispersed Clean-Up Event for Earth Day

April 25, 2021 by Laura Sanchez Leave a Comment

Looking for a way to celebrate Earth Day and do something good for the environment? Join Santa Barbara Channelkeeper’s Watershed Brigade the weekend of April 24-25 for a dispersed clean-up event targeting front country trails and trailhead areas.

Channelkeeper’s Watershed Brigade is a community of volunteers dedicated to keeping our local watersheds and beaches clean. Brigade members remove trash from trails, creeks, rivers, urban areas, and beaches, act as environmental stewards, and collect litter data used to help reduce pollution at its source. And it’s fun! By sharing their photos, volunteers earn points that make them eligible for perks and prizes.

The goal over the weekend of April 24-25 is to clean trails and turnouts throughout Santa Barbara, Ojai, and Ventura. Volunteers will head out independently to different trailheads, front country parking areas, and trails along the South Coast to remove trash. We’ve created a sign-up form to ensure that we cover as many trail areas as possible.

Earth Day is April 22, and while this year’s celebration is virtual, the Watershed Brigade invites you to complement the online festivities by heading outdoors to clean up trash. Making sure that our environment is litter-free is a great way to honor the Earth while supporting Channelkeeper’s goal to make water swimmable, fishable, and drinkable for all.

Help us achieve this by signing up to clean a trail area in our watershed this weekend. Visit https://www.sbck.org/brigade/watershed-brigade-event/ for information or to sign up!

Watershed Brigade Trails & Turnouts Dispersed Clean-Up Event for Earth Day

April 24, 2021 by Laura Sanchez Leave a Comment

Help us achieve this by signing up to clean a trail area in our watershed this weekend. Visit https://www.sbck.org/brigade/watershed-brigade-event/ for information or to sign up!

18th Annual Student Art Show

April 22, 2021 by Laura Sanchez Leave a Comment

Santa Barbara Channelkeeper is pleased to present its 18th annual student art show on April 22, 2021. This year’s show, artist reception, and award ceremony will take place virtually as part of the Youth Leadership Day at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival.

The show, themed “What the Channel Means to Me,” aims to inspire local students to reflect on their connection to the Santa Barbara Channel and to create art that celebrates the area’s natural beauty and diversity, while inspiring others in our community.

Throughout the pandemic, many young South Coast residents have sought space and solace beside the ocean and have experienced it through a different lens. This year’s student art show provides a creative opportunity for local youth to express their relationship with the Santa Barbara Channel.

Channelkeeper Education Director Penny Owens says, “Channelkeeper is honored to present our 18th annual student art show. Every year we are so impressed and inspired by the caliber of the student artwork. Channelkeeper is dedicated to protecting our local waterways and also to fostering environmental awareness and stewardship in today’s youth to ensure that they join us in our efforts. Seeing the artwork celebrating the natural beauty of the Santa Barbara Channel and the messages and artist statements by the students gives me hope that our future is in good hands.”

The contest is open to high school students from Carpinteria to Goleta. Past participating schools include Bishop Diego, Dos Pueblos, Carpinteria, San Marcos, and Santa Barbara High Schools. Local artist Claudia Borfiga will jury the show and judge pieces based on creativity, technical skill, sense of style, and interpretation of the theme.

The student award-winners will be announced at the virtual reception at approximately 4:15 pm on Thursday, April 22nd. The awards include generous cash prizes donated by long-time student art show sponsor Trillium Enterprises, Inc. (Please note this is a “live TV” event, so times are approximate.)

There will be 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Honorable Mention, and Juror’s Choice awards. Cash awards will be provided to the winners. First place will receive $200 and two tickets to the concert of his or her choice at the Santa Barbara Bowl. Second place will be awarded $125, third place $75, and Juror’s Choice/honorable mentions will receive $25. A special $100 “Environmental Ethics” prize will be awarded to the piece that best embodies the ethical and moral relationship between human beings and the natural environment.

The award-winning artwork will be displayed in the State Street office window of the Community Environmental Council at 1219 State Street for the week of April 26-30th, following the student reception and award ceremony on the 22nd. Email Penny@sbck.org for more information.

Click here to stream the event or visit www.sbearthday.org

World Water Day Beach Clean-Up March 20-21

March 21, 2021 by Laura Sanchez Leave a Comment

Help Santa Barbara Channelkeeper’s Watershed Brigade Clean Up the Coast for World Water Day

Join Santa Barbara Channelkeeper’s Watershed Brigade this weekend, March 20-21, for a socially distanced clean-up event in honor of World Water Day.

Channelkeeper’s Watershed Brigade is a community of volunteers dedicated to keeping our local watersheds and beaches clean. Brigade members remove trash from trails, creeks, rivers, urban areas, and beaches, act as environmental stewards, and collect litter data used to help reduce pollution at its source. And it’s fun! Volunteers earn points that make them eligible for perks and prizes.

Our goal over the weekend of March 20-21 is to clean every beach from Gaviota to Ventura. Volunteers will head out independently to different beaches along the South Coast to remove litter from a targeted area. We’ve created a sign-up form to ensure that we cover every beach and that our collective efforts have maximum impact.

World Water Day is March 22 and this year’s theme is “The Value of Water.” Making sure that our coastline is litter-free is an important part of valuing our water resources AND reaching Channelkeeper’s goal to make water swimmable, fishable, and drinkable for all.

Help us take steps toward achieving this goal by signing up and cleaning a section of the beach this weekend.

Visit www.sbck.org/brigade or email Molly@sbck.org for additional information.

How to participate:

Sign up for a beach;
Complete the waiver;
Gather supplies like bags and gloves (or email us for a kit);
Read our safety guidelines;
Head to the beach;
Share your photos and results here to be eligible for prizes!