With the message of Earth Day freshly in my mind, I decided to investigate Etopia. I found this location to be informative and fun. Compared to other landmarks, this island is relatively small which allows the visitor to experience everything it has to offer in under an hour. I could see this site being useful for an educator attempting to spread the "green" message. With all the island had to offer, it would be a great tool for any level learner. Some interesting things that I experienced in my time on Etopia include: farmers market (free food), e-train and gondola rides across and above the island provide a quick overview of the island, wind turbine farm that you can tour, water recycling plant, opportunity to build a sail boat and see the island from the water, a drum circle in the middle of a forest (reminded me of a Grateful Dead concert scene), a green house growing flowers, fruit and vegetables, several compost bins, and a co-housing community built w/ eco-friendly materials to name a few. If you are interested in the environment or are looking to get students interested, Etopia would be a good location to experience a wide variety of "green" topics.

This destination (created by Uthango Social Investments) takes you on visually stimulating trip through Africa. At first, it appears to be just a bunch of semi-functioning wild animals placed around the "ranger/Info station". After spending more time in Africa and touring the entire location, you will quickly realize that this is more than a visual journey.

Visitors can see animals in their habitat with realistic behavior, take a variety of customized tours (some costing $L), adopt a meerkat, get a tattoo, purchase traditional African clothing, tour a shanty town complete w/ squatters, and learn about Nelson Mandela and the history of Apartheid.

You can visit virtual Africa at:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Africa/151/70/22