August 27, 2009

Earlier this summer we brought you a story about the University of Virginia Learning Barge, and this week, the barge made a small move, but a big step towards competition.

The barge was lifted from the dock in Chesapeake by one of the biggest cranes on the East Coast, and lowered into the Elizabeth River.

The learning barge is a hands-on education center for students in the Hampton Roads area. It's a floating classroom of sorts. Students will not only learn about the Elizabeth River ecosystem, but also about alternative energy sources. Currently, the group from UVa is putting the finishing touches on the barge before the christening on September 14th.

A bit closer to home, the Environment and Green Building was the topic of discussion Thursday afternoon at the Charlottesville Community Design Center.

A room full of builders, architects, and environmentalists gathered to hear Congressman Tom Perriello's ideas on green building, green jobs, and a more energy efficient economy. Event organizer, John Bruneau from the James River Green Building Council says it's important to include the building sector in discussions.

A large part of the event was a question and answer session, where guests had the chance to ask Perriello about a range of environmental issues on the local, state, and national levels.