Bring your lunch and learn about sustainability through our Lunch & Learn series! This series is a partnership between Sustainable Blacksburg and Blacksburg Library. Events are held on the fourth (or sometimes fifth) Wednesday of each month from 12-1 PM at Blacksburg Library. Check out recordings of our previous sessions below and stay tuned for details on upcoming topics!
This month…
We’re taking a break for the holidays. Look for our annual listening session in January 2026 and our Lunch and Learn programs starting in February 2026.
If you missed any of our earlier programs catch up with the recordings.
Previous Learning Lunches: Find recordings of Sustainable Blacksburg programs on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHT0yWShbVEHfXtca8ICNGQ
Find the recording for “Restorative Forestry Through Modern Horse Logging” at https://youtu.be/qeDFwemSkx4
Find the recording for “All About Seeds: Growing, Saving, Storing” at https://youtu.be/z6STxUUIH9k
Find the recording for “Conserving Virginia’s Extraordinary Invertebrate Heritage” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbjsz_PBdrI
Find the recording for “Zero Waste Living” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BjedMPjvbc
Find the recording for “Sustainable Siting of Solar Photovoltaics” at https://youtu.be/OAIZWxXhSN8
Access the slides here:
Find the recording for “NRV Tool Library: a Lending, Learning, Living Community” at https://youtu.be/rM8ZZCpnnig
Find the recording for “Legal Action on Climate: A Local Example” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urNUzk39Dsc
Find the recording for “What’s in Your Closet?” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUSrwPk3F2E
Find the recording for Virginia Cooperative Extension at https://youtu.be/o3Y0doDlVNg
Find the recording for Stroubles Creek and Virginia Tech Streamkeepers Program at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp9hSmVnLlg
Find the recording for “Recycling Basics and Beyond” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMsL1Hda4cE
Find the recording for “VT Bee Campus and Tree Campus USA” at https://youtu.be/qcd0roJRQ8o
Find the recording for “Blacksburg Transit: It’s Not Just for Students!” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrP948GfyFo
Find the recording for “Bluebirds in Blacksburg” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG7k08wKzRg.
Find the recording for “Gardening with SWVA Native Plants” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYdqvBROY1M. Find more information about native plants on the Plant SWVA Natives website at: https://www.plantvirginianatives.org/plantswvanatives
Find the recording for “Living with Black Bears in Virginia” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i1Vrpn-GgI&t=19s
Find the recording for “Green Burial Options in Blacksburg” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRh9ytDlDSg
Find the recording for “Saving Money and Energy with New Climate Incentives” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szt-ENlztfE
Find the recording for “Your Solar Questions – Answered!” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGzRihiroTA&t=295s
Find the recording for “Preserving Food: Saving Today’s Abundance to Enjoy Tomorrow!” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM509TybMw8
Find the recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMKmiTwtASw. The recording has audio but no slides until 22 minutes in. You can listen with the slides below or fast forward to where the slides start.
Access the slides for this presentation here:
Find the recording for “Hidden Stories of Common Backyard Invaders” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8CJD2uZufE
The recording for this program can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGSkkhv57EA&t=92s. Access the slides for this presentation here:
The recording for this program can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-qJzcd_rb4&t=13s. Access the slides for this presentation here:
Find the recording for “Circular Materials Flow in a Living Laboratory” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5YC8X8Chxo&t=105s
Find the recording for “Become a Tree Rescuer” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGRgpLgZkQc
Find the recording for “An Introduction to Home Energy Audits” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTAXcNsTcak
Find the recording for “Old Growth Forest: The Best Kept Secret at Virginia Tech” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRivS2ux-Rc
The slide deck for “Electric Tricycles (Etrikes) for Seniors” can be found at http://roperld.com/science/EtrikesSeniorsComparison.pdf
Find the recording for “Electric Energy Options” at https://youtu.be/PUUfmM8q9oU
Dave’s slide deck is available on Long Trips in an Electric Car (roperld.com)
Low Waste with Kids. Find the recording at https://youtu.be/aUvFC1UJLgY
Lunch & Learn: Sustainable Transportation. Find the recording for this program at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chnYrUiS5EI
Lunch & Learn: Growing Medicinal Herbs. Find the recording for this program at https://youtu.be/4gCGgWaRMXc
Lunch & Learn: 20 Trees that are better than a Bradford Pear
Last month we learnt about native plants, and we are following up this month with native trees in a talk by Carl Absher, retired arborist. Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana) is a small tree native to southeast Asia that was introduced to the USA in 1964 as ‘Bradford’ pear. Since then, multiple varieties of callery pear…
Lunch & Learn: Plant Southwest Virginia Natives
Bring your lunch and learn about Native Plants in Southwest Virginia, why you should choose native and how your garden and yard can make a difference in the natural ecosystem. We are joined by Nicole Hersch, a Regional Planner and Community Designer at the New River Regional Commission. She has a background in landscape architecture…
Lunch & Learn: Preserving Food – Saving Today’s Abundance to Enjoy Tomorrow
Learn ways to save the summer harvest for storage in your fridge, freezer, and pantry. From quick and easy to more advanced methods – you can enjoy eating locally all year! We’re joined by Brenda Springer, a Board Member of both Sustainable Blacksburg and the Blacksburg Farmers Market. She works as a CPA and dedicates…