S.B. Scene

Justin Cutter picks kale sprouts at the Earth Day Festival in his mobile educational gardening truck, which is part of a program called Compass Green Project. Cutter has converted a typical work truck into a mobile greenhouse, complete with a compost pile and prolific garden, which is driven all over the West Coast to educate at-risk youth and elementary-aged kids about sustainability. In Santa Barbara, Compass Green has teamed up with Urban Garden Community to work with area children. “This is a great way to engage people who wouldn’t actually give a hoot about sustainability otherwise,” said Cutter.

“I had a conventional lawn and landscaping business in Austin, Texas, for 15 years before moving to Santa Barbara. I took the Green Gardener class and learned different techniques. I had a complete paradigm shift,” said Dave Hunsaker, owner of Dave’s Organic Gardening. Hunsaker utilizes organic, permaculture, and other sustainable techniques to install edible gardens as well as traditional yard maintenance. “Sometimes it feels like I enjoy people’s lawns more than they do! People actually pay me to be outside in their gardens, and I love it,” he said.