This upcoming election presents an interesting window into the mindset of citizens heading into mid-term elections here in Santa Barbara and in cities and towns across the country. In the face of such deep dysfunction and division at the national level, many have turned a focus to local action, as they should.
Perhaps our biggest humanitarian and national security crisis (beyond the obvious crisis posed to the environment) is the threat posed by climate change — or better yet climate volatility or instability as it’s been reframed recently. Many focus on the large responsibility of nation states and the global community to respond to climate change and overlook the sizable role cities, counties, and states will play despite the current administration.
Many of us are aware of Santa Barbara’s leading role in the global environmental movement following the devastating 1969 oil spill. Many of the figures of that movement remain active in communities, sitting on boards and leading organizations. They are part of a network that contains the institutional memory and experience required to guide the younger generations forward.