Global Citizens Club Community Meeting Wednesday, November 6, 2019 5:00pm – 7:00pm Belmont El Encanto Hotel SANTA BARBARA, California – The future of the stranded oil derricks off of the Santa Barbara coastline will be the subject of a community meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the Belmond El Encanto Hotel & Spa. “Designing Dreams […]
economics
Rinaldo S. Brutoco to Appear on ‘Coast to Coast’ Radio Show Thursday night (Oct. 3)
SANTA BARBARA, California – Rinaldo S. Brutoco, noted Santa Barbara business leader, co-author of Freedom from Mid-East Oil, and futurist, will discuss the evolving crisis in the Middle East and its implications for the U.S. economy and the global environment and clean-energy options when he appears this week for a two-hour segment on the popular […]
Resiliency Through Repurposing
By Robert Perry, Director of Research In facing our climate crisis, a lot of emphasis is placed on adding to, or replacing infrastructure. While this impulse is a logical reaction in the transition to clean energy, a strategy to repurpose existing facilities should always be considered first as a means to accelerate the transition, while […]
The Resource Adequacy Hurdle to 100% Renewable Energy
By Robert Perry, Director of Research Over the years, I’ve written about Santa Barbara County’s energy resiliency issues, particularly for communities along the coastline in the Southern California Edison (SCE) service territory. I’ve also decried SCE’s antiquated Request for Offer (RFO) process that no longer works in a time when energy procurement means building hundreds […]
Stop the PG&E Bailout Bonds
Call to Action! Dear Academy Supporters, The World Business Academy strongly opposed AB 1054, the utility bailout rushed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which strengthens the state’s monopoly on utilities at the expense of all California ratepayers, Community Choice programs, and democratic due process. Now there is a proposed extension to pay for PG&E’s […]
Business as a Global Change Agent: Ceres/Academy Collaborative
Since 1987, the World Business Academy has focused on the role business can and should play in solving humanity’s largest challenges. Our focus on climate change and energy security results from an analysis of the most important threats to human survival and thus the survival of business. Given this prime directive, it logically follows that […]
Global Citizens Club Meeting on Climate Change Grassroots Action Draws a Huge Crowd!
The huge response to our February 19th Global Citizens Club (GCC) meeting was extremely gratifying, with over 200 people from the community turning out to learn more about effectively fighting climate change from a diverse panel of experts and activists. Highlights of the meeting hosted at the El Encanto included a moving statement from local […]
PG&E’s Bankruptcy Filing: An Opportunity for Energy Democratization
By Robert Perry, Director of Energy Research Everyone is buzzing about the implications of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) declaring bankruptcy. When the news broke last week, PG&E’s stock fell 52%, only to bounce back by 75% when California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection determined that private electrical equipment was responsible for starting the […]
Follow Our New Radio Program “Solutions News” on KZSB 1290AM Friday Afternoons at 5 p.m.!
We have some exciting news to kick off the New Year: The World Business Academy is going live on local radio! Beginning Friday, January 11, we will begin broadcasting a new weekly radio talk show called “Solutions News.” Hosted by Rinaldo, each broadcast will feature a spirited and informative discussion concerning solutions to local, national […]
UPDATE on PCIA CTA: Expect Negative Impact on Community Choice Movement (Sigh!)
Thanks to all our members who sent opposition letters to their California legislators and the acting Public Utility Commissioners earlier this month. For those not familiar with this specific call to action, the letters urged the CPUC not adopt a decision that would dramatically increase costs associated with the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) charge, […]
Business Leaders Collaborate in Efforts to Revitalize State Street
On August 14, 2018, Santa Barbara City Council held a public meeting to discuss the revitalization of State Street. In an effort to recapture economic vitality in the downtown area, members hosted a panel-discussion for concerned residents and business owners. A group of stakeholders, led by Amy Cooper, Chair of the World Business Academy’s State […]
Reinventing State Street: Developing a Plan for the Future
On June 28, the World Business Academy’s Global Citizens Club hosted its second panel discussion on reimagining State Street and Downtown Santa Barbara, yielding some very good news: the World Business Academy announced that Amy Cooper, owner of the Plum Goods store on State Street, will head a new Santa Barbara Retail Task Force to help […]
