EMU will observe Earth Week with a number of local events including guest speaker Joe Stanley of Virginia Interfaith Power & Light, who will speak on ‘Energy Use and Its Moral Implications’ Wednesday, Apr. 21.
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