In partnership with the Clean Coalition, the World Business Academy has engaged the Montecito community towards the development of a Community Microgrid, starting with independent microgrids at three critical community facilities: Montecito Fire Protection District (FD) headquarters and primary fire station, which maintains and deploys the majority of Montecito’s fire-fighting resources. Montecito Water District (WD) headquarters and […]
resiliency
Santa Barbara County Votes to Join Central Coast CCA: Now What?
By Robert Perry, Director of Research On June 16th, the County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to participate in the Monterey Bay Community Power Authority (MBCPA), Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Program. Following years of deliberation and analysis concerning the feasibility of forming its own CCA, the vote could lead to the inclusion of Santa […]
Downtown Santa Barbara Retail Discussion Moves Forward With New Consultant’s Report
When it comes to the issue of revitalizing Downtown Santa Barbara and bringing back some of its lost luster, momentum is building towards a solution and the World Business Academy is gratified to see that the public discussion we launched last year about this vital issue continues to move forward. The World Business Academy started […]
Global Citizens Club Meeting: Housing Solutions for a Vibrant Santa Barbara
On July 10th, 2019, we enjoyed the company of over 100 Santa Barbara community members and four key panelists at the Global Citizens Club meeting on Housing Solutions for a Vibrant Santa Barbara. As part of the 2019 conference series, this meeting focused on the pressing topic of housing in Santa Barbara, specifically on the […]
Global Citizens Club Meeting: Santa Barbara’s Transportation Future
We were delighted by the response to our May 22nd Global Citizens Club meeting focusing on Santa Barbara’s Transportation Future. With attendance reaching almost 100 people, it clearly demonstrated the historically vigorous community interest in finding transportation solutions that will work well for everyone and strategies for investing in new modes to quickly transition to […]
Greening Our Infrastructure: Transportation
We are now on the precipice of systemic change to our planetary climate system… The near-unanimous consensus at last year’s IPCC 1.5 conference, combined with an initial wave of climate change impacts in the form of stronger hurricanes, more violent storms/floods and longer drought, demands a holistic transition of all economic sectors to a carbon-free […]
2019: The Year of Climate Mobilization
By Robert Perry, Director of Energy Research “For the world is changing: I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, and I smell it in the air.” – Treebeard, from The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien. For many, 2018’s seemingly endless succession of hurricanes, wildfires, and torrential storms, combined […]
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 […]
The Arts can Deliver Us from Climate Change
By Robert Perry, Director of Energy Research With 2018 coming to a close, a lot of focus has been placed on the accelerating urgency of climate change and how we can mobilize to defend humanity from its own extinction. Various experts, technicians, and scholars are tirelessly working on this Gordian Knot, trying to loosen the […]
Bringing a New Vision to State Street
The debate rages on about ways to revitalize State Street and downtown Santa Barbara, and the World Business Academy remains at the forefront of the public discussion about this vital issue. On Wednesday, December 5th, Rinaldo Brutoco and Director of Energy Research, Robert Perry, participated as panelists in the latest public forum focusing on revitalizing […]
2018 in Retrospect: Focusing on Safety, Resilience and Citizen Engagement
Last year on December 5, our friends, supporters and staff gathered at Rinaldo’s and Lalla’s house to celebrate the closing of 2017. It was a lovely evening, and we left the gathering with our hearts full of cheer. But there was also an undercurrent of foreboding as the Thomas Fire had just begun its destructive […]
Watch: Video of community meeting on MCMI (Nov. 14, 2018)
The World Business Academy and the Clean Coalition have teamed up to provide the Montecito community with a sustainable energy solution during times of crisis. Kristy Jansen, Chief of Staff for the World Business Academy and Craig Lewis, Executive Director for the Clean Coalition, presented on this exciting and ambitious initiative at the Montecito Community […]
