Student & Local Environmental Organizations

Both UCSB and the Santa Barbra community has a rich history of strong community support for the environment. Below are a list of just some of the many campus groups, clubs, and organizations, as well as local Santa Barbara agencies, organizations, and companies that offer a vast array of opportunities for interested students to get invloved and enjoy the amazing beauty and diversity the Santa Barbara area has to offer.

UCSB Student Groups & Organizations:

A.S. Environmental Affairs Board
<www.as.ucsb.edu/eab>
A family of students dedicated to integrating sustainable policies and practices on campus and in the community.

A.S. Recycling <www.as.ucsb.edu/asr/index.html>
Students at UCSB voted in 1994 to finance a comprehensive recycling program on campus. AS Recycling works on related programs to collect and reduce use of glass, newspaper, aluminum, and plastics numbered "1" and "2" around campus.

CALPIRG <www.calpirgstudents.org>
A public interest advocacy group fighting for environmental and social causes through legislative change.

California Student Suitainability Coalition <www.sustainabilitycoalition.org/>
Promotes student involvement with UC to implement environmentally sound practices in the UC system.

Excursions Club
An outdoor adventure club offering hiking, kayaking, climbing, and a variety of other activities and trips. Meetings are held once per week.

Garden and Greenhouse Project <orgs.sa.ucsb.edu/ghgp>
Space for students and community members to garden organically.

Horse Boarders Association <orgs.sa.ucsb.edu/horseboarders>
Cooperative association dedicated to providing space for horses at west campus.

Index of Student Services and Activities <www.catalog.ucsb.edu/2008cat/general/ssa.htm>
Comprehensive list of all services and activities provided for students at UCSB.

Isla Vista Chapter of Surfrider <orgs.sa.ucsb.edu/sf>
Dedicated to protecting our oceans and beaches through education and activism.

Museum of Systematics and Ecology <www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/~mseweb>
Provides research and educational services for the biology department and for the greater campus and regional communities.

Nuclear Age Peace Foundation @ UCSB <orgs.sa.ucsb.edu/napf>
Concentrates on raising awareness of the UC’s involvement in nuclear weapons research and production.

Santa Barbara Student Housing Co-op <www.sbcoop.org>
Cooperative organization dedicated to providing UCSB students, staff, and faculty with affordable housing that adheres to the principles of sustainability.

Shoreline Preservation Fund <spf.as.ucsb.edu>
Provides funds to enhance, protect, and restore the shoreline associated with UCSB. Students are encouraged to apply for project funding.

Coal Oil Point Reserve & the Snowy Plover Docent Program
<coaloilpoint.ucnrs.org/>
The Coal Oil Point Reserve is part of the University of California Santa Barbara Natural Reserve System. Learn about classes on the reserve, local stewardship, and the snowy plover docent program.

UCSB Cycling Team
Dedicated to enjoying Santa Barbara on bicycle power in both recreational and competitive settings.

Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) <www.wise.ucsb.edu/>
Provides a network for women scientists of all levels and promotes equal opportunities for women and girls in science and engineering.

Santa Barbara Area Groups and Organizations

Art From Scrap <www.artfromscrap.org>
Leading environmental education organizations in Santa Barbara. Art From Scrap provides the community with a Green Schools environmental education program, an Arts Center, and a Reuse retail store.

Beach Erosion Authority for Clean Oceans and Nourishment (B.E.A.C.O.N.)
<www.beacon.ca.gov>
A combination of agencies working together to find solutions to coastal erosion and other issues along the central coast.

California Coastal Commission <www.coastal.ca.gov/>
Government appointed commission that helps to collaborate with local and state government on land and resource use in the California coastal zone.

California Department of Fish and Game <www.dfg.ca.gov>
Manages a variety of habitats in and around Santa Barbara.

California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network
<www.creec.org/region8>
An educational network whose mission it is to enhance the environmental literacy of students in California.

California State Parks <www.parks.ca.gov>
Make reservations or obtain information about any of California’s state parks.

Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary <channelislands.nos.noaa.gov>
Established in 1980 to protect the underwater resources immediately surrounding the California Channel Islands.

Channel Islands National Park <www.nps.gov/chis>
The closest national park to Santa Barbara, the Channel Islands are unspoiled beauty just off the coast!

Citizens Planning Association and Foundation <www.citizensplanning.org>
Formed in order to protect the natural resources of Santa Barbara County and to prevent unregulated growth and development.

Community Environmental Council (CEC) <www.communityenvironmentalcouncil.org>
An evolving family of programs that adapts to the South Coast’s changing environmental challenges. Current focus areas are water, energy, sustainable land use, and education.

Conception Coast Project <www.conceptioncoast.org>
Dedicated to protecting local natural resources through science, planning, and community involvement.

County of Santa Barbara Green Team <www.countyofsb.org/GreenTeam>
A collection of County agencies working to reduce the County’s impact on human and environmental health.

Environmental Defense Center (EDC) <www.edcnet.org>
The central coast’s only nonprofit environmental law firm.

Forests Forever Inc. <www.forestsforever.org/about.html>
A grassroot environmental group dedicated to protecting and restoring the forest resources of California with offices locating San Francisco and Santa Barbara.

Friends of the Ellwood Coast <fotec.org>
Attempting to purchase the 137-acre Ellwood Mesa property in order to protect it from development.

Gaviota Coast Conservancy <www.gaviotacoastconservancy.org>
Fighting for the permanent protection of the Gaviota coast’s natural, scenic, recreational, agricultural, and cultural heritage.

Goleta Valley Beautiful <www.goletavalleybeautiful.org/Home.asp>
Local non profit group dedicated to maintaining and establishing urban forest and tree cover in Goleta.

Green Difference <www.greendifference.org>
Helping businesses and private homes become more efficient in their resource use.

Heal the Ocean <www.healtheocean.org/>
Local county non profit organization that focuses on the upkeep of sewage and septic systems to protect marine environments from contamination.

Island Packers <www.islandpackers.com>
Providing whale-watching trips and transportation to Channel Islands National Park out of Ventura.

Land Trust for Santa Barbara County <www.sblandtrust.org>
Working to preserve open spaces for wildlife and agricultural use.

Los Padres National Forest <www.fs.fed.us>
Find information, maps, and trails for the National Forest in Santa Barbara’s backyard.

More Mesa Preservation Coalition (MMPC) <www.moremesa.org>
A group of concerned citizens committed to preserving More Mesa, a local undeveloped coastal bluff, in perpetuity.

Nuclear Age Peace Foundation <www.wagingpeace.org>
Based in Santa Barbara, the Foundation initiates and supports worldwide efforts to abolish nuclear weapons and to use technology responsibly and sustainably.

Ocean Futures <www.oceanfutures.org>
Dedicated to exploring and protecting the world’s oceans and their resources.

Pesticide Awareness and Alternatives Coalition <www.islandseed.com/PAAC.html>
Formed in order to spread awareness of pesticide use in the Santa Barbara area and to educate residents about alternatives.

Project Clean Water <www.sbprojectcleanwater.org/>
A coalition of government agencies and community groups devoted to investigating and implementing solutions to contaminated creeks in Santa Barbara.

San Marcos Foothills Coalition <www.sanmarcosfoothills.org>
Fighting for the protection of the San Marcos open space, the largest undeveloped area in South Santa Barbara County.

Santa Barbara Audubon Society <www.rain.org/~audubon>
A chapter of the National Audubon Society, committed to educating the community about birds and their habitats and supporting legislation and programs that preserve those habitats.

Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition <www.sbbike.org>
A group promoting bicycling for transportation and recreation.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden <www.santabarbarabotanicgarden.org>
Dedicated to the research, education, and conservation of California’s native plants.

Santa Barbara Car Free <www.santabarbaracarfree.org>
Promoting public and other modes of transportation as ways to reduce Santa Barbara’s dependence on the automobile.

Santa Barbara ChannelKeeper <www.sbck.org>
To protect and restore the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds through education, enforcement, and citizen action.

Santa Barbara County Action Network <www.sbcan.org>
A county-wide grassroots network dedicated to promoting social justice in conjunction with the preservation of natural resources.

Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District <www.sbcapcd.org>
A local government agency working to prevent air pollution.

Santa Barbara Hikes! <www.santabarbarahikes.com>
Descriptions and directions for hikes all over Santa Barbara’s front country and backcountry wilderness.

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum <www.sbmm.org>
Documenting Santa Barbara’s history with the sea.

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History <www.sbnature.org>
Educating the public about natural history with the goals of inspiring respect and passion for the natural world.

Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council <http://www.sb-urbancreeks.org/>
Organization formed to preserve, protect, and restore our valuble urban creek system.

Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network <www.sbwcn.org>
Rescues and rehabilitates injured, orphaned, or oiled wild birds and small mammals.

Santa Barbara Zoo <www.santabarbarazoo.org>
Dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the natural world through research and education.

Santa Cruz Island Foundation <www.west.net/~scifmail>
Historical organization dedicated to preserving the human heritage of Santa Cruz and the other Channel Islands.

Sierra Club, Los Padres Chapter <www.lospadres.sierraclub.org>
Local chapter of the Sierra Club; dedicated to protecting and enjoying the environment in the Santa Barbara area.

Sustainability Project of Santa Barbara <www.sustainabilityproject.org>
The Sustainability Project exists to inspire change in the built environment of our region in order to improve the quality of life, in harmony with nature, for this and future generations.

Wilderness Youth Project <http://www.wyp.org/>
Provides outdoor environmental education opportunities for youth in the Santa Barbara area.

Additional Environmental Resources for the Santa Barbara Area
<www.library.ucsb.edu/subjects/envi/local-env.html>
Includes local Government and Environmental Organizations (site maintained by UCSB's Davidson Library).