Earth Day Santa Barbara
On April 16th and 17th, Earth Day was celebrated in Alameda Park, covering more than two blocks of beautiful Santa Barbara, California. Over 38,000 passionate, and environmentally friendly people attended this event to celebrate a perpetual movement toward global change and sustainability.
Vendors from all across the United States, as well as from across the globe, came together to promote green innovation, technology and ideas. As the host of The Urban Conversion, I was fortunate enough to be a part of this collaborative environment, and participate in this spectacular event.
Never having been to an Earth Day event of this size, it was hard to know what to expect. Upon my arrival, it was apparent that this was more than a social gathering, and in fact a true celebration of our planet. It was a spectacular look at where we have all come from, and where we are headed as a sustainable society. It was a group of like-minded people, with large spirits and caring hearts coming together seeking change.
Of course, like all festivals, there were your typical vendors. I mean, who would want to go to a festival without the beer garden (hemp beer of course). But the most prominent participants and vendors were promoting sustainable practices, and earth friendly ideals.
Upon arrival, I was immediately drawn to the Green Car Show. This area was dedicated to sustainable transportation and alternative fuel vehicles. It became immediately evident that we are continuing to see amazing advancements in our automotive industry. Battery technology is continuing to improve, and both EV’s and hybrids are going to eventually become more and more a part of mainstream America.
After checking out the latest Teslas, I made my way over to an area of sustainable construction practitioners. There are so many incredible innovations when it comes to the construction of our most valuable asset…our home. Let me tell you a little secret, we are in for some incredible changes to the way we build our homes.
As I continued to move throughout the festival, I was amazed and humbled by the talented and incredible people that made this event special. It became evident that the festivities were being driven by an attitude of doing what’s right. It was a true spirit of change. This was certainly a festival for a highly diverse group of people of all ages and backgrounds.
We often hear negative comments about “today’s youth”. However, at this event, I discovered a renewed optimism about the direction our youth are headed in. On one corner, two young men were chatting to a crowd about a bike repair program they developed, in order to put more bikes on the street. On stage, a talented band comprised of members no older than 15, were jamming for the crowd in celebration of the festivities. From one end of the event to the other, our youth were actively present. It was pleasantly refreshing.
Mother Nature was kind, and gave us perfect weather, with mild temperatures and incredible sunshine. Leaving Santa Barbara was hard, but going back will be a no brainer. I left filled with new knowledge, but left knowing that next year we will have taken yet another step toward being better stewards of this incredible planet of ours. Thank you Santa Barbara for making Earth Day the celebration our planet deserves.