CMU Wins Second Campus Commuter Challenge

University Walks The Talk On Sustainable Commuting

When it comes to preserving the environment, staff and students at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) walk the talk—and ride bikes, carpool and take the bus, too.

Darren Grunau of Abbotsford, B.C., Jacqueline Neufeld of Howden, Man., Delaney Barber of Winnipeg and Chris Huebner, Assistant Professor of Theology and Ethics, pose with Stephanie Fulford of Resource Conservation Manitoba during a celebration marking CMU's winning the Manitoba Campus Commuter Challenge.

Their commitment was confirmed in September, when CMU placed first among Manitoba universities and colleges in Resource Conservation Manitoba’s Campus Commuter Challenge. It was the second time this year that the university placed first in challenges aimed at encouraging sustainable commuting.

CMU’s participation rate during the September 17-21 challenge was 20.2 percent. Winnipeg’s William and Catherine Booth College, a Salvation Army school, placed second with a rate of 15.48 percent.

CMU’s achievement was recognized by Resource Conservation Manitoba at a celebration on October 3. “Congratulations to CMU,” said by Stephanie Fulford, who directs the Campus Commuter Challenge. “You’re definitely showing your green stripes.”

CMU’s effort was spearheaded by Sanctoral Cycle, a student-run bike co-op that encourages students and staff to use bikes to commute to school. “We were excited to win,” says Jacqueline Neufeld, a co-op organizer who cycles about 70 kilometres round-trip to CMU each day from her home in Howden, Man., just south of the city.

This is the second time that CMU has won the provincial Campus Challenge. It also won in 2005.

Other participating schools were the University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg, Brandon University, Red River College and Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface.

In June CMU also placed first in a national campus challenge sponsored by Go for Green, a program that aims to increase the awareness of the benefits of sustainable commuting.

During that challenge, which occurred June 3-9 when there were no students on campus, 34 percent of CMU employees participated by walking, cycling, taking the bus or carpooling to work.

According to Go for Green National Program Coordinator Carolyn Bourque, CMU “achieved the highest percentage of participation among all participating post-secondary institutions in Canada.”

For the results of the Resource Conservation Manitoba Campus Commuter Challenge go to their site. For results from the Go For Green National Commuter Challenge go to Go For Green.

Posted October 5, 2007.