The chose EMU because of its dedication to, said Kate Addleson, program manager for the , one of the partners in the campaign.

鈥淲e really appreciated the holistic approach that EMU has to sustainability,鈥� said Addleson, who hopes to see other universities in Virginia emulate what she described as EMU鈥檚 pioneering and precedent-setting leadership on the issue.

The event, held on Earth Day in late April, featured a panel of EMU faculty, staff and , speaking to a crowded room in the Campus Center.

鈥淔or us, it is a faith issue to take care of God鈥檚 creation,鈥� said Swartzendruber.

Motivated by a theological commitment to care for the needy, he said, EMU has been prioritizing sustainability for decades to try to limit resource consumption to its fair global share. As a result, EMU鈥檚 buildings now consume significantly less energy per square-foot and per student than the average among its peer institutions.

Since 2000, efficiency upgrades on campus have allowed the university to save 46 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and $2.5 million on its utility bills, according to sustainability coordinator . (The figures are based on a comparison to energy consumption levels in 2000.)

One of the most significant recent sustainability projects was the on the roof of the . It was the state鈥檚 largest commercial solar power project at the time. Its innovative financing agreement has been the basis for statewide legislation designed to promote growth of Virginia鈥檚 solar energy sector. The solar project was developed in partnership with , a solar energy company led by EMU business professor and MBA program co-director , who also spoke on the panel.

The university worked with the to pass an ordinance exempting the solar panel equipment from the local machinery and tools tax 鈥� another move that set precedent for recent state legislation.

Just three and a half years into their decades-long lifespan, the solar panels on the library roof have generated more than 450,000 kWh of electricity, offsetting the consumption of more than 266 barrels of oil. The average annual output of the library array is roughly equivalent to the annual energy use of 10 homes in Virginia. See live data on the solar array at

Earlier this year, the university was awarded a silver ranking by the , based on its sustainability initiatives in operations, curriculum, planning and other areas. EMU is one of seven universities in Virginia with a silver ranking. Four others universities have earned bronze rankings, while none have a gold certification.

Also speaking on the panel was , a research professor at EMU鈥檚 . She discussed her approach to sustainability as a issue by describing the growing link between climate change and violent conflict around the world.

Biology professor provided an overview of EMU鈥檚 , an interdisciplinary program that combines environmental and social sciences. Launched just five years ago, enrollment has grown rapidly to more than 40 students, making it one of EMU鈥檚 10 most popular majors.

Kai Degner, a city councilman and former Harrisonburg mayor, also spoke. He complimented EMU for demonstrating the environmental and economic benefits of large-scale sustainability initiatives, and said that the university 鈥渞eally provides us a terrific local example鈥� for government, institutions, businesses and citizens to pursue similar projects.

More on sustainability at EMU:

Panelists will discuss how sustainable development promotes security and economic opportunity in Virginia, as well as their shared sense of responsibility to protect God鈥檚 creation that has driven their efforts.

WHAT: 聽Leading for the Common Good through Sustainable Design

奥贬翱:听Kai Degner, Harrisonburg City Councilman, and聽, DMin,

, coordinator at EMU

, PhD, director of Human Security at the and EMU professor in the

, PhD, president and CEO, and associate professor of and at EMU

, PhD, professor of and advisor to students at EMU

WHEN: Tuesday, April 22
11:00 a.m. 鈥� Panel discussion
12:00 p.m. 鈥� Tour of and sustainability features such as , edible landscaping, cistern for campus landscaping, and .

That was the mantra of Barry Click, co-owner of , during a social media panel discussion that anchored EMU鈥檚 annual appreciation luncheon for the 100 members of its .

Another panelist, , Harrisonburg City councilman and , said: “Find some consistency in your posts. Look at what your audience is into and looking at — you have to put time into it to be successful.”

Click and Denger joined three other panel members — Lindsey Loughlin of , Aaron Yoder of , and Kyle Coleman of — in highlighting the advantages of using Facebook, Twitter and other social media. All agreed the simplest approach is often the best.

“Know your audience, go where they are and connect,” Click said.

Funding priorities

spoke to the group on the funding of the new science center, next year’s enrollment projections, and the upcoming Bach festival.

Swartzendruber said EMU has raised 25 percent of the funds it needs to renovate and expand its science center. He linked this fundraising campaign to maintaining EMU鈥檚 remarkable record of 90 percent acceptance rate into medical school, which is more than twice the national average.

EMU鈥檚 fall enrollment numbers look promising and are on par with the numbers from last year’s record enrollment, he said. Swartzendruber also mentioned the excitement of hosting the twentieth annual Bach festival on campus and the anticipation of the program itself.

Social media matters

between Business and Professional club members.

Current members

Below is a list of current Harrisonburg-Rockingham Business & Professional Club members.

• Kreider Machine Shop
• Nelson Swope Enterprises
• Turner & Company

brought some 2,000 bicycling enthusiasts to “The Friendly City” as part of a five-day tour that began Friday evening, June 25, in Staunton, 25 miles to the south.

, a nonprofit organization that promotes bicycle and pedestrian safety, runs the annual tour.

Cyclists head out Park Road to byways of Rockingham and Shenandoah counties.

“This was a fun ride, not a race,” said Brenda Black, manager of Harrisonburg Tourism and Visitor Services in Harrisonburg. “The tour is designed as a recreational event, not fast-pace line riding. Cyclists came in all sizes, shapes and ages.”

Black noted that Bike Virginia travels the Commonwealth in cycles — “no pun intended.” Their last ride through Harrisonburg and Rockingham County was in 2004.

While many of the cyclists stayed in hotels throughout the area, between 850-950 took up residence Monday and Tuesday in a “Tent City” that stretched across the campus of 草莓社区.

More than 900 Bike Virginia participants turned the EMU campus into “Tent City” for two night’s lodging. (Lindsey Kolb)

Departing from EMU both days, bikers selected from a variety of “loop routes” of varying degrees of difficulty and rode throughout the scenic, rolling countrysides of Rockingham and Shenandoah counties.

Cyclists were invited to visit the downtown area, take guided walking tours and attend open houses at the with refreshments.

Monday night, held an event billed as “Bike Bash in the Burg” to showcase the downtown area for riders and community members. The celebration, which featured a welcome from , food and a concert by “Everyday People,” took place on the grassy lot near the on S. Liberty St.

Emily (l.), a first time Bike Virginia participant from Gainesville, Fla., reviews the day’s bike route with Jackie, from Norfolk, Va.

May group members ate breakfast and evening meals June 28-29 at EMU. They held a talent show in Lehman Auditorium and watched an exclusive screening of Stephen Auerbach’s award-winning film, .

Wednesday, the bikers returned to Staunton for a finish line celebration.

“Overall, the event went well, considering how many people we hosted on campus,” said Lynn A. Veurink, assistant director of at EMU. “It was rather chaotic at first, as people set up tents in the first shady locations they could find rather than checking in, but once we worked that out, things seemed to go quite smoothly. Our facilities, especially the University Commons, got a workout, and number of people expressed appreciation for EMU‘s hospitality.”

Bike Virginia estimated the event brought $3.1 million dollars in economic benefit to the area.

Sunday: sustainability panel

EMU President Loren Swartzendruber

Sunday, April 18 at 4 p.m., EMU President Loren Swartzendruber will be part of a area panel that will discuss "Four Views: Community Sustainability" held at Harrisonburg High School. Swartzendruber will speak about his climate change and creation care philosophy and the campus-wide sustainability effort initiated by him at EMU.

He will be followed by Kathy Holm on sustainable agriculture, Erik Curren of Blackfriars Theater in Staunton on business sustainability practices, and last, City of Harrisonburg Mayor Kai Degner will offer a viewpoint on sustainability progress and goals for Harrisonburg and surrounding area.

A question and answer period will follow the speakers forum.

Wednesday: Joe Stanley on moral energy use

Joe Stanley of Virginia Interfaith Power and Light

Joe Stanley of Virginia Interfaith Power and Light brings the voice of the faith community to the discussion of public policies that concern the environment, predominately on the state level. The group’s work largely focuses on climate change, energy production and energy efficiency.

Stanley will speak on ‘Energy Use and Its Moral Implications’ Wednesday, Apr. 21. in the Strite Conference Center on ground floor of the EMU Campus Center (see campus map).

Stanley is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in political science. During his college days, he served as a legislative assistant to Delegate Franklin Hall, former minority leader, and also worked in the Richmond office of Senator Jim Webb. He also served as a student fellow for Virginia21, an advocacy organization working directly with and on behalf of college students. While at Virginia21, Stanley was active in the successful effort to pass the Community College Transfer Grant in 2007.

The Goochland County, Va., native is a 2005 graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia and a member of the Greater Richmond Partnership for Smarter Growth’s Land Use and Transportation advisory board.

Admission to Stanley’s Wednesday speaking presentation is free. For more information, call April Banks at 432-4545.

Thursday: food and farms

On Thursday, April 22 at 5 p.m., Eric Bendfeldt of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service and local farmers will discuss current issues in food, farms and community sustainability.

This event, held in the Strite Conference Center of EMU’s Campus Center (see campus map), is sponsored by the Virginia Cooperative Extension: Community Viability and the Creation Care Council of EMU. For more information, can call the extension office at (540) 564-3080.

Thursday at 7 p.m. there will be a showing of "Kilowatt Ours, A Plan to Renergize America." Children grades 3 to 9 are especially invited. Eldon Kurtz, EMU director of physical plant, will be part of a panel discussion after the film. For more information on the film, contact