Global Warming in Virginia
Virginia's Coast: What's at Stake - 07/31/07
More than 374 square miles of Virginia's land lie less than five feet above sea level. That means large swaths of the state are at risk from sea level rise, which is already altering parts of the Chesapeake Bay.
One-third of the marsh at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, for example, is now submerged, thanks in part to rising seas, which are linked directly to global warming. In short, sea level rise could continue to alter Virginia's coastline-permanently.
Recent studies show that hurricanes are becoming more powerful-for example, there are twice as many Category 4 and 5 hurricanes today than there were 35 years ago.
This trend is expected to continue as global warming gets worse. For coastal residents, another alarming consequence of global warming is sea level rise, which will affect storm surges. These powerful, fast-moving walls of water often accompany tropical storms and hurricanes, and can devastate coastal communities, taking lives and destroying property.
These powerful, fast-moving walls of water often accompany tropical storms and hurricanes, and can devastate coastal communities, taking lives and destroying property. Higher sea levels will mean higher storm surges that reach further inland. While permanent flooding from sea level rise occurs over decades or longer, higher storm surges from more intense hurricanes are already here.
Virginia Solar Home Getting High Marks - 01/30/07
State Sen. Frank Wagner is staying warm at his temporary address, even in below-freezing weather and without a traditional power supply or fireplace. The Virginia Beach Republican, a proponent of alternative energy sources, is living for a week outside the Science Museum of Virginia in a solar-powered house designed and built by Virginia Tech students.
Using a remote control and a computer, Wagner is testing whether the award-winning home can generate enough electricity from the sun to run everyday home appliances and still have enough left over to send to Richmond's power grid or charge an electric car.
The house is warmed by heat that comes up through the floor, and has a rainwater harvesting system and automated mood lighting. It also features a wide-screen TV and kitchen appliances chosen for their energy efficiency.
These features can be manipulated while sitting on a couch and tapping on a tablet computer connected to the building's control system. All of it is powered by the sun's energy, which is gathered by rooftop photovoltaic panels and stored in the home's battery system.
"We want to show that you don't have to huddle around candles and be dressed in all your clothes to be comfortable in a house powered by solar energy," said Robert Schubert, associate dean of research for the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech.
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