Karl Hutterer: A True Activist and Philanthropist

Karl Hutterer's life and career have spanned the globe. He grew up on a farm in the Alps, earned college degrees in the Philippines and Hawaii, conducted research in southeast Asia, and taught at Bryn Mawr College and the University of Washington,. Eventually Karl settled in Santa Barbara, and the Community Environmental Council is grateful he did. Karl has played a foundational role at CEC in many capacities, including serving on our President's Council and Board of Directors, and heading our Legacy Giving program for several years. He and his wife, Nancy, are also members of CEC's Livable World Legacy Society. We recently spoke with Karl about what makes Santa Barbara special, and what inspired him to create a legacy gift for CEC in the form of a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). You can read more about Karl and Nancy on our website.

CEC: What do you love most about Santa Barbara, and what do you hope we can do to make the region more resilient into the future?

Karl: My wife Nancy and I love Santa Barbara for the same reasons most other people do: its natural beauty, its lovely climate, and its charming historic character. However, we also know and understand that we face an enormous challenge in climate change. There are many things that can and must be done to increase our community's resilience to the impacts of climate change. By far the most important of them is strengthening the community's fabric of interconnectedness and interdependence and the embrace of diversity.

CEC: What inspired your legacy gift to CEC?

Karl: To be effective in carrying out their mission, nonprofits depend critically on community support. CEC is an undisputed leader in addressing climate change in our region, and we feel that supporting CEC is the best investment we can make in the future of our children and of humanity. Climate change is a global issue, and tackling it needs every hand on board, all of our efforts, and all of our resources. Supporting CEC through a legacy gift is by far the best inheritance you can leave and be remembered for.

CEC: How did you originally learn about CEC?

Karl: We heard about CEC very soon after arriving in Santa Barbara nearly 25 years ago. As former Director of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, I looked at CEC as a guiding light and valued collaborator.

CEC: Why do climate change and climate action matter to you?

Karl: On a very personal basis, climate change is of huge concern to us, because we want our three granddaughters to have a livable world. Beyond that, belonging to the generation that has contributed so much to the causes of climate change, we feel a strong moral obligation to help ensure the wellbeing of future generations more generally.