VOLUNTEER
Becoming part of the solution has never been more fun! Volunteer for Explore Ecology and make a difference. Volunteers are our valuable partners who assist in all areas of Explore Ecology programming. You make our continuing service to the community possible. Adults, high school and college students, business groups, and those needing community service hours are welcome.
Email us for more information.
Click on your desired volunteer activity for more information
Do you love being on the beach, taking care of the ocean and environment, and helping to clean up marine debris? Our Monthly Cleanups take place at Arroyo Burro Beach, one of Santa Barbara’s most gorgeous beaches. Beach Cleanups are a wonderful way for families, businesses, and groups to volunteer together.
Beach cleanups are on the 2nd Sunday of the Month from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Meet at the Watershed Resource Center at 10:00 am to sign in and pick up supplies.
Do you want to learn more about reuse and waste reduction? Do you support creativity and the arts? Do you see the potential in reuse materials and love turning trash into treasure? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this is the volunteer opportunity for you!
The Art From Scrap Creative Reuse Store is looking for volunteers to work in our retail store: stocking, sorting, organizing materials, and assisting staff.
We would love to have you join our team as a member of our fundraising and event planning committee and help us plan and coordinate our events. If you are passionate about arts and ecology, we are sure to have an event that would interest you. We host one to two fundraisers a year, numerous art shows, and Makers’ Markets. We look forward to dreaming up some new events with you!
Spend time in the garden by volunteering with Explore Ecology’s School Gardens program. We are looking for volunteers to assist our Garden Educators in the garden.
Community Service Hours are available.
If you like going to coffee shops and other places with bulletin boards, we need you to post our event and fundraiser flyers around town.
Isn’t it time to show your favorite beach or creek some love? Join us for Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 19th from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. An international day of volunteer action, Coastal Cleanup Day offers community members a chance to give back to the beautiful beaches that make Santa Barbara County such a wonderful place to live. Get outside, enjoy nature, and remove marine debris from our beaches and waterways.
Volunteers of all ages can participate at any of the 2026 cleanup sites. Pre-registration is not required, but is encouraged. If you can’t make it to one of the cleanup locations on Saturday, the 19th, you can do a self led cleanup at anytime during the month of September and your litter data will be included in the 2026 Coastal Cleanup Day results!
Please select the site you plan on volunteering at when registering. Each site will have a Beach Captain on hand to provide necessary instructions and supplies. All volunteers are encouraged to bring their own reusable gloves, bags or buckets, and water bottles to reduce waste and decrease the plastic footprint of the cleanup. Sign up.
The Art From Scrap Gallery needs your assistance at art openings and receptions throughout the year. If you love assemblage and environmentally-themed art, mingling with artists, socializing, and food service this could be the volunteer opportunity for you. We are looking for volunteers to pass out refreshments, pour wine (must be over 21), and help staff with set up and take down. Events usually occur on a Friday or Saturday evening from 6:00 to 8:00.
POSTPONED DUE TO COVID Our Summer Camps are exciting and educational! Work with our experienced staff of environmental educators to lead students in activities that include beach and nature explorations, environmental concept games, cooking, nature crafts, tie-dye, and more! Counselor-in-Training (CIT) programs for students ages 13 to 17 cost $75.00 per week. College Internships are also available.
If you like engaging with the public, educating about the environment, and creating art out of reuse materials, this is the perfect volunteer job for you. Explore Ecology offers the Santa Barbara community free art and environmental education projects at various events throughout the year. This is a super fun and social volunteer opportunity- a nice way to be outside enjoying the day while also supporting a great cause.
We are looking for volunteers to help staff our booth at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival in April.
Duties include: Interacting with the public and providing information about our organization * Taking part in hands-on art and environmental education activities * Representing Explore Ecology in a professional manner.
We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers who are passionate about sustainability and who enjoy helping kids make creative reuse art projects.
We are looking for photographers who would like to build their portfolios, practice their skills, and support environmental education and the arts. We need photos of our fundraising events, art workshops, Creative ReUse Store, environmental education classes, and more. If you’re a creative shutterbug, this is the opportunity for you.
Josh was born and raised in Santa Barbara, where his passion and curiosity for the environment began and has continued to grow. During his undergraduate studies, Josh pursued this interest at the University of California at Santa Cruz, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies.
Melissa Dodos developed her passion for creative reuse as a mother of four and elementary educator over the past 25 years. She loves to inspire creativity by connecting people with resources and ideas.
Veronica grew up in San Diego and spent four years in San Luis Obispo studying Animal Science at Cal Poly. As an undergrad she learned lots about livestock, agriculture, and wildlife.
Stephanie began her journey as an educator over twenty years ago working as a preschool teacher in Washington state for a cooperative preschool program affiliated with Whatcom Community College. She loved observing the wonder and curiosity of the children and bringing them out into nature to explore the natural world. She continued her love for learning and got her teaching license and then her Montessori certification and worked as an elementary teacher in Tribal, Public, and Montessori schools. She collaborated to create a school garden and her students loved it so much that it became a special place where they could garden, read, explore, play, and it provided a safe sanctuary for students to calm down and reset when they were having difficult moments.
Morgan’s mermaid soul is always seeking adventure—swimming a relay across the Santa Barbara Channel and taking the first photo of a newborn orca off Anacapa Island being standout experiences close to home.
Lindsay Johnson