Ecotopia in Santa Barbara
It's Easy Being Green...
Green has always been a Santa Barbara color, thanks to the city's dozens of parks, hundreds of thousands of trees and vast tracks of open space. But Santa Barbara's Earth tones don't stop there. There's the sandy beaches and wild blue yonder of the Pacific in Santa Barbara's backyard and the deep reds, pinks and goldens of a Santa Barbara sunset. It's the vibrant aspects of the outside world that make Santa Barbara a celebrated Ecoptia, not to mention a community that has long been committed to preserving these natural spaces.
Protecting the natural world has been a local passion ever since a grassroots environmental movement emerged in the 1960's. In fact, the nation's first Earth Day celebration was held here in 1970--a signature event that continues today with the annual Earth Day Festival in April. Today, local governments, non-profit organizations and residents continue to work together to maintain our sustainable community and preserve the natural elements that make Santa Barbara so special. Visitors are actually helping our efforts, too-a portion of the hotel tax funds important urban-creek restoration projects.
Santa Barbara naturally caters to the eco-minded traveler with a variety of options to reduce your carbon footprint while you're experiencing the area. For some fresh air fun, head outside and find yourself among endless opportunities to be your own motor, including sailing, surfing, swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, golf, hiking, biking, horseback riding and more!
For the foodies, locavore cuisine is around every corner on on every dock! Enjoy the catch of the day, locally harvested produce and area free range meats not to mention flavors you won't soon forget at Santa Barbara's many restaurants! Couple your love of local cuisine with some sustainable sips at a wine tasting room or local microbrewery near you.
Going green in SB is easy for the entire family with eco-friendly activities that range from a visit to the Zoo with an ocean view to interactive museum exhibits and tours that embrace the area's wild side!
