One day it is too hot and other days it is too cold. Do we need to replace the HVAC system? part of SISL:2012 Sustainability in Math Workshop:Activities
This project will allow students to create a mathematical model to help in making decision about replacing HVAC units on a large scale.

What's for Dinner? Analyzing Historical Data about the American Diet part of SISL:2012 Sustainability in Math Workshop:Activities
In this activity, students research the historical food consumption data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to observe trends, develop regressions, predict future behavior, and discuss broader impacts.

Population Growth, Ecological Footprints, and Overshoot part of SISL:2012 Sustainability in Math Workshop:Activities
In this activity, students develop and apply linear, exponential, and rational functions to explore past and projected U.S. population growth, carbon footprint trend, ecological overshoot, and effectiveness of hypothetical carbon dioxide reduction initiatives.

Salt Marshes: estimation techniques using basic algebra and geometry part of SISL:2012 Sustainability in Math Workshop:Activities
The activity allows for learning about salt marshes ecosystem and practicing of basic math in estimations.

The Costs of Your Commute: Your Money, Your Time, and the Earth part of SISL:2012 Sustainability in Math Workshop:Activities
This activity has students investigate their own cost, CO2 output, and time for commuting. They then compare their commute to an environmentally conscious alternative by using comparable metrics.

How Big is Your Breakfast Footprint? part of SISL:2012 Sustainability in Math Workshop:Activities
Calculation of a carbon footprint resulting from common breakfast choices illustrates the importance of contextualization.

Learning Sustainability with Sim City part of SISL:Activities
Sim City is a computer game that has the player design a city. They become the mayor. While designing the city from ground, they can choose sustainaiblity energy options such as wind farms, geothermal, and solar. The game includes greening options and pollution factors. Teachers in a variety of disciplines can utilize this to bring their core course concepts to life.

Arctic Sea Ice Extent part of SISL:2012 Sustainability in Math Workshop:Activities
Student teams investigate Arctic Sea Ice by analyzing actual data and making predictions. A worthwhile extension is to predict the first year that the Arctic Ocean will be ice free.

Choosing Between Home Appliances: Benefits to the Planet and Your Wallet part of SISL:2012 Sustainability in Math Workshop:Activities
Students research various options for new appliances and make purchasing decisions based not merely on purchase price, but also on energy efficiency, which has implications for the planet AND for longer-term personal finances. Students calculate the "payback period" for the more energy efficient appliance and calculate long-term savings.

Sustainability Efforts on Our Campus: A Mathematical Analysis part of SISL:2012 Sustainability in Math Workshop:Activities
In these open-ended but simple activities, students use basic mathematics and descriptive statistics to analyze campus sustainability efforts.