Santa Barbara Names Spirit of Service Awards

Source: City of Santa Barbara

An extraordinary slate of locals are honored with the 2020 Spirit of Service Awards. Through these awards, now in their 16th year, the Sustainability & Resilience Department recognizes individuals and organizations in the community who exceed expectations by reducing waste, keeping the community clean through graffiti and litter abatement, and promoting climate action to reduce greenhouse gases. Each recipient was awarded with a beautiful recycled glass Spirit of Service award.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the award recipients will be honored online and on our social media platforms during the week of December 14 – 18. For pictures, videos, and highlights of our awards recipients visit: https://sustainability.santabarbaraca.gov/materials/sos 

This year’s winners are:

Waste Reduction Category

·         Toad & Co: A sustainable clothing company that uses recycled materials in garments to divert textile waste form the landfill. Toad & Co implemented office practices such as composting, office furniture upcycling, and textile recycling to reduce waste.

·         Ellen Hunter: As a teacher at Monroe Elementary School, Ellen took the initiative to start a lunchtime Foodscraps collection program. She educates students and staff on composting and food waste reduction.

·         Cord Christensen: Cord single-handedly started a recycling program at Providence School. He collects and recycles the school’s bottles and cans as well as invites students to participate in the process. While diverting waste from the landfill, Cord hopes to instill stewardship in his students. 

Clean Community Category

·         Javier Limón: Over the last 10 years, Javier has worked non-stop in his neighborhood picking up litter. He mows parkways, collects trash from problem spots, and assists his neighbors with improvements projects all in an effort to keep his neighborhood clean.

·         Santa Barbara Arts Alliance: This art-based youth group has been working to abate ongoing graffiti vandalism at Sunflower Park. They transformed the park with a beautiful mural project to deter future vandalism and make the park a clean and inviting place for families.

·         Adan Venegas: As the owner of Blue Agave Landscaping, Adan assisted his community during a clean-up project in which he paid for some of his workers to go to the site and assist with specialized tools.

Jack Cantin Spirit of Service Youth Award

·         Thomas Coleman: Thomas was inspired by Jack Cantin to start the Bishop Diego High School Chapter of Teens on the Scene, a youth led organization that connects high school students with opportunities to support local nonprofits. He has partnered with various organizations such as PATH, Unity Shoppe, Food from the Heart, and the City of Santa Barbara to conduct trash cleanups, graffiti abatement, and clothing and food drives.

Climate Hero Category

·         Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District: MTD has become a climate leader by committing to 100% renewable electricity throughout its fleet. By pursuing innovative energy projects, MTD will enhance service resilience and provide a strong example for other transit districts to follow.

·         Community Environmental Council: Through innovative programs and campaigns, such as Solarize Santa Barbara, Fossil Free by 33, and Ditch Plastic, CEC has educated and activated the community to take ownership of its climate future.

For more information about the Spirit of Service Awards visit: https://sustainability.santabarbaraca.gov/materials/sos