We recognize the urgent need to transform our community and serve as an example. Our community has a long history of environmental and social consciousness and also senses this urgency. To achieve a more sustainable community requires an educated and empowered citizenry and by providing solutions-based, locally relevant, and highly applicable education opportunities we empower our community to make immediate change.

By working directly with our Continuing Education Division and partnering with other local organizations like the Santa Barbara Permaculture Network (http://www.sbpermaculture.org/), the Institute of Reverential Ecology (http://www.reverentialecology.org/), the Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens (http://www.fairviewgardens.org/), and The Sustainability Project (http://www.sustainabilityproject.org/DesktopDefault.aspx), we offer lectures and workshops in sustainable design and practice. Thanks to several generous community members including the Tomchin family, Merryl Brown, and many others we have been able to offer programs in permaculture, toxicology, water systems design, seed saving and seed exchange, health, backyard edible gardening, and sustainable home design.