Find the rest of our 2023 Active Aging Guide here.
Santa Barbara and Ventura are the fastest-warming counties in the continental United States, putting the region’s most vulnerable — including agricultural workers, Native Americans, youth, and the elderly — at risk. But as the Central Coast gets hotter, the region’s seniors are learning how to stay cool.
“How can we, as a group of individuals, or fearless elders, make a difference?” asked Maureen Ellenberger, a member of the Society of Fearless Grandmothers Santa Barbara, at the Community Environmental Council’s (CEC) extreme heat forum on Tuesday.
The forum — presented in partnership with the Fearless Grandmothers and the Gray Panthers Santa Barbara Network — was focused on how Central Coast elders can prepare for extreme heat events, as well as take action toward a more climate-resilient future. About 30 people attended the in-person event at the CEC’s Environmental Hub, and more than 100 registered to live-stream the event on Zoom.