Styrofoam, or polystyrene, is an especially harmful material because of its inability to be recycled in traditional recycling facilities. This means that almost all styrofoam ends up in...
Solar Blog
The Amazon Fires: An Environmental Justice Issue
You might’ve seen recent news stories about the Amazon rain forest fires, and you may have wondered what the implications for...
Green Tip: Community Involvement
One of the best ways to be an environmentalist is through local activism! Community involvement is a driving factor in political and...
Solarizing Santa Barbara!
For the third consecutive year, Brighten has been chosen as a solar installer for the Community Environmental Council’s (CEC) Solarize program! Installers are selected through an extensive vetting...
Green Tip: Sustainable Summer
When we think about summer, we usually imagine things like beach trips, warm days, vacation, and family BBQs. Some of these classic summer activities aren't exactly environmentally friendly, but...
Green Tip: Wish-Cycling
Have you ever wondered if something is recyclable, only to throw it in the blue bin wishing for the best? This is called “wish-cycling” and it does more harm than good. Wish-cycling is one of the...
Green Tip: Food Waste
Food waste occurs on every level of the supply chain - from harvest fields to restaurants to our refrigerators at home. This waste ends up in landfills where it takes up a large portion of our very limited space...
Green Tip: Hidden Costs of 2-Day Shipping
In today's fast-paced consumer society, we never have to wait for anything. In fact, we don't even have to leave the comfort of our homes...
2019: A Bright Year for Solar Energy
Unlike fleeting trends that come and go with the seasons, solar energy remains a steadfast environmental and financial investment...
Ventura County Implements Community Choice Energy
Ventura, California is no stranger to sustainability: its Chamber of Commerce has its own Green Task Force, the Ventura Green Business Program has...
The Great Time-of-Use Migration
California is rapidly transitioning to a green energy economy while it faces an aging energy distribution system. Residents, businesses, and local...
Santa Barbara Commits to 100% Electric Buses By 2030
On Tuesday Santa Barbara residents saw a victory for quieter streets and cleaner air! The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD)...