Daily Archives: September 30, 2015

Go Back to School for Green Business!

The Green Business Program of Santa Barbara County (GBPSBC) is now accepting businesses for the newly designed Green Business Academy, a four-month-long series to help organizations implement and gain certification for using environmentally-friendly practices.

Establishments of all sizes are welcome to participate and are encouraged to attend a South County kick-off event for the 2015 cohort on Thursday, October 8 from 3 – 5 p.m. at Sonos, 419 State Street in Santa Barbara. The event will allow businesses to hear first-hand about the positive impact that the Green Business Program has on its participants and the community at large.  In addition to launching the Academy, the Green Business Program is offering a free public mixer immediately following the South County event from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at the same Sonos location.

“Our new modular-based program allows enough flexibility for businesses of all sizes to participate, while also providing structure so that the certification can be completed in a timely fashion,” stated Frances Gilliland, Program Director.  The new structure streamlines the certification process so that a business can complete all necessary steps in as little as four months, working in a cohort that allows them to support and learn from each other along the way. Registration fees are made on a sliding scale, depending on the size and type of company.

Upon program completion, businesses receive a certificate, a sticker to display, and recognition at the annual GBPSBC Luncheon. They also receive free advertising by being listed in the Directory of Certified Businesses on the GBPSBC and California Green Business Program websites, recognized on chamber of commerce websites, and highlighted through free print and online advertisements.

The Santa Ynez Valley Marriott is one example of an organization that has been highly impressed with the results of the program. “What I love about the Green Business Program is that they encourage change and help keep more money in your pocket through education, collaboration and guidance from highly experienced experts,” said Mike Hendrick, General Manager of the Marriott. “In the first two years after getting certified, we saved over a million gallons of potable water, not to mention significant savings through reduced energy use, smarter paper consumption, and lower waste production.”

Those interested in participating can learn more by visiting http://www.greenbizsbc.org/get-certified/green-business-academy or by contacting Program Director Frances Gilliland at (805)729-3472.  Admission to the mixer is free, and includes food and beverages. RSVP for the mixer by contacting Elizabeth Davidson at elizabeth@loa.com.

 

Goleta Sanitary District Holding Open House Family Fall Festival

When we flush toilets or drain sinks and appliances, the water seems to magically disappear. Of course, it doesn’t. Learn where your water goes, and have fun doing it at the Goleta Sanitary District’s Open House and Family Fall Festival on Saturday, October 24 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at 1 William Moffett Place, across from the airport car rental area.

The water drains into a system of 132-miles of underground pipes that collect wastewater from throughout the Goleta Valley and transports it to the Goleta Sanitary District’s wastewater treatment plant.  Once at the plant, the wastewater is treated for reuse and/or discharge to the ocean.  It is a complex and fascinating process you can see first-hand by attending this popular community event.

“We are extremely proud of what we do here and we really enjoy having this opportunity to show the community how our wastewater treatment system works to protect public health and the environment,” said Steve Wagner, Goleta Sanitary District’s General Manager.

The District has been holding this event every other year since 1951 where hundreds of Goleta Valley residents have toured the facility filled with fun family activities.  The entire plant will be open to the public.  This is a “all hands on deck” event where every employee will be there to show visitors around and explain what happens with the over 4 million gallons of wastewater the Goleta Valley generates each and every day.　 Additionally, visitors will be treated to a variety of entertaining activities, such as: guided tours, demonstrations, BIG trucks, operating heavy equipment, machines in action, visiting the laboratory, getting a print-out of your home’s District sewer connection, and learning how wastewater is turned into irrigation water and fertilizer.  Free hot dogs, chips, and lemonade will be served as well.

“I’ve enjoyed this event for over 20 years.  This is a wonderful way to show our customers what we do and educate them no how to be better stewards of our wastewater system.  There’s a lot of things folks can do on their end to help the system work more efficiently and keep our costs at a minimum.  At this event they can learn how to help us and help the environment at the same time,” said George Emerson, President of the Goleta Sanitary District Board.

“Please come see how all this works and have fun doing it. Hop on a hay ride.　 Have a hot dog.　 Play educational games and win prizes.　 All free for the entire family,” added Emerson.

 

The entire Goleta Sanitary District staff looks forward to meeting you and showing you where your water goes and what they do to protect public health and the environment.

For more information visit www.GoletaSanitary.org or call (805) 967-4519.

Monarch Butterfly Docent Program Information Session

Do you like monarch butterflies? Do you want to volunteer in your community? Become a Monarch Butterfly Docent!

We’re hosting a Docent Program Information Session on Monday, October 19, 2015, from 6– 7:00 p.m. at Goleta City Hall, Council Chambers, 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B.  RSVP by Tuesday, October 13, 2015, to Luz Reyes-Martin at 961-7558 or lreyesmartin@cityofgoleta.org.

Refreshments will be provided

Since 2007, the City of Goleta has trained volunteer docents to provide information to visitors at the Ellwood Main Monarch Grove, located at Ellwood Mesa Open Space/Sperling Preserve.  From November to February, Goleta is home to one of the monarch butterfly migration sites in California.  Our docents volunteer on Saturdays and Sundays and support field trips for school and community groups. For more information about the Monarch Grove, visit www.goletabutterflygrove.com.

Caution: Runners Ahead

The Santa Barbara Veterans Day Marathon & Half will be winding its way through Goleta once again on November 7.  The full marathon course will start at Dos Pueblos High School at 7:30 a.m. and the half-marathon course will start at 7:00 a.m. at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB). With 4,000-plus participants, you’ll see a lot of racers on Goleta roads between 7 and 10 a.m. before they head off into a beautiful finish at Ledbetter Beach.

For everyone’s safety, please follow posted signs, detour routes and obey volunteer and police instructions. Expect road temporary road closures at:

•           Cathedral Oaks Road eastbound from Calle Real to Cambridge Drive

•           Los Carneros Road southbound from Cathedral Oaks Road to El Colegio Road

•           Storke Road northbound from El Colegio to Phelps Road

•           Phelps Road westbound from Storke Rd to Pacific Oaks Road

•           Pacific Oaks Road northbound from Phelps Road to Hollister Avenue

•           Hollister Avenue westbound from Pacific Oaks to Calle Real

For more information, go to sbmarathon.com or call 805-698-4288.

 

2-1-1 Helpline is Back in Business in Santa Barbara County

Every hour of every day, people need essential health and human services. Callers are looking for health care, childcare, domestic abuse support, counseling, food, shelter and more. The 2-1-1 Helpline provides residents one centralized location to get critical health and human services information they need 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. 2-1-1 callers include veterans, parents, seniors, homeless and many others.

BENEFITS TO THE USER
●    Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
●    Calls are answered by trained call specialists
●    Offered in 150 languages
●    Free and confidential service
●    Efficient, fast, and easy to use
●    Centralized access to information
●    One call connects individuals to resources in the community

BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY
●    Easily accessible to everyone in Santa Barbara County
●    Information is accurate and reliable – data is updated on a regular basis
●    Promotes self-reliance
●    Strengthens the community by connecting people to the help that they need
●    Helps communities anticipate demand for services and identify changing needs

2-1-1 IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
●    2-1-1 was first implemented in Santa Barbara County in 2005.
●    In 2013, the service became un-hosted and efforts to seek a new provider commenced.
●    In November of 2014, Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara County became the 2-1-1 Helpline host with call center services handled by a subcontractor.
●    2-1-1 Helpline has undergone an intensive data “scrub” to ensure that information is updated, accurate and comprehensive. The database now has over 2000 local health and human services resources.
●    There is an average of 400 calls received per month in Santa Barbara County.
●    A user friendly website was developed and can be accessed at: www.211sbco.org.

2-1-1 FACTS
●    Authority for the operation of 2-1-1 information and referral services using the three-digit dialing code was first enacted by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) in 2000.
●    The FCC found that there was a demonstration of sufficient public benefit to justify the use of scarce resources and assigned 2-1-1 to be used for access to community information and referral services.
●    The Commission charged each state with the task of implementing the 2-1-1 program. In California, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is responsible for the operation, oversight, regulation and authority of the 2-1-1 dial code.  A CPUC ruling states, “The use of the 2-1-1 dialing code has the potential to provide California with easy access to information concerning child care services, housing assistance, physical and mental health resources, aging and hospice services, educational and other programs.  Such information is not currently available through the 911 emergency code or the 311 non-emergency code.”
●    Accessible to almost 35.7 million Californians in 35 counties, 2-1-1 service covers over 96 percent of the state’s population.
●    Nationally, 2-1-1 covers 90 percent of the US population.
Currently, this essential service receives funding from the County of Santa Barbara, First Five, City of Santa Barbara and Emergency Public Information Communicators (EPIC).

For more information, visit www.cacsb.com.