Sustainability experts to talk about saving energy and money at March Afternoon Sabbatical

Lecture: Afternoon Sabbatical – "Making Cents of Energy" by Goshen College Sustainability Coordinator and Utilities Manager Glenn Gilbert and Vice President of McCormick Motors Gordon Moore
Date and time: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 1 p.m.
Location: Sauder Concert Hall, Goshen College Music Center
Cost: Free and open to the public

GOSHEN, Ind. – Goshen College Sustainability Coordinator and Utilities Manager Glenn Gilbert and Vice President of McCormick Motors (Nappanee, Ind.) Gordon Moore will talk about the fascinating ways that saving energy is not only "green," but also makes sense for the fiscal bottom line of an institution and a business. This will be the Goshen College Afternoon Sabbatical presentation on Tuesday, March 9 at 1 p.m. in the Music Center's Sauder Concert Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

"We will be talking about measures people can take to save energy at home or in their small businesses," said Gilbert, who hopes people who attend are interested in energy conservation.

Gilbert is on a mission to help Goshen College to go green. He has been a part of implementing the energy management system for Goshen College that has already shown significant success in saving money and reducing environmental harm.

"Each student and faculty and staff member can have an impact on our energy consumption," Gilbert said. "Energy conservation efforts are not new to campus, but our methods are considerably more sophisticated than in the early part of the college's history."

The Afternoon Sabbatical discussion will include highlighting some of the measures the college has taken in the last few years which include custodians using only green-certified products and the physical plant working together with other Indiana college physical plants to meet EPA regulations for all waste disposals.

Moore, of McCormick Motors in Nappanee, will talk about his success story in "going green." Since joining the dealership in 1997, Moore has done quite a bit of work in energy conservation management, focusing on modernizing both the buildings and the application of technology within the dealership. In 2007, he was recognized by USA Today as one of four finalists in the annual dealer technology award in recognition for innovative energy efficiency and environmental practices.

Moore has also helped McCormick Motors win national awards and grants for its energy-saving practices and making a significant investment in improving their use of energy and reducing their carbon footprint. The goal for McCormicks is to reduce utility provided electric consumption by 20 percent in 2010 and by 50 percent in 2020.

For more information on McCormick Motors visit www.mccormickmotors.com. To learn more about Goshen College's ecological stewardship, visit www.goshen.edu/gogreen.

Future programs in the Afternoon Sabbatical series:
April 13 – "International Meal featuring Provence, France," with Rachel Shenk of Rachel's Bread, 1 p.m., College Church Fellowship Hall. Cost: $20.

Goshen College's Afternoon Sabbatical program is in its 32^nd year of offering rich diversity in programs for the community. A committee of area representatives and college personnel consider the knowledge and talent at Goshen College and among Elkhart County citizens and aim to select programs that will appeal to a wide variety of interests. The program encourages the idea that people need a sabbatical from their daily lives to rejuvenate their minds and spirits.

Afternoon Sabbatical programs are usually on the second Tuesday of the month at 1 p.m. in Sauder Concert Hall or the College Church Fellowship Hall and are free and open to the public. For more information on the Afternoon Sabbatical series call the Goshen College Welcome Center at (574) 535-7566.

-By Julie Weirich 

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college's Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron's Best Buys in Education, "Colleges of Distinction," "Making a Difference College Guide" and U.S.News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" edition, which named Goshen a "least debt college." Visit www.goshen.edu.