Sustainable
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 a deep stripe of a different green, the green of environmental sustainability, also runs through The American Riviera®.
Green isn't just a buzz word to us. Protecting the natural world has been a local passion ever since a grassroots environmental movement emerged in the 1960's. In fact, one of the nation's first Earth Day celebrations was held here in 1970. 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.
It's easy to be a green (and responsible) traveler when visiting Santa Barbara. From exploring car-free and eating locally-sourced foods to experiencing our nature preserves and embracing home-grown businesses, you can tread lightly and give back while thoroughly enjoying our little pocket of paradise. Need some help planning your eco-friendly vacation? Look for the green leaf icon throughout this website. The symbol denotes businesses with sustainable attributes, be it their operations, products or services. We've also compiled some suggested itineraries to help you experience the greener side of Santa Barbara.
