Economics of installing Solar PV panels: is it worth it to the individual?
We show that it is economical for an individual to install solar photovoltaic panels in Denver, Colorado; and this is a sustainable strategy for society at large.

Tropical Cyclones, Sea Surface Temperature, and Beyond
The activity will use historical data of sea surface temperature and tropical cyclone origin and/or tracks to identify trends. Students use Arc GIS to explore projected SST changes and predict areas where tropical ...

Forecasting Lake Effect Snow in Lake Superior region
This exercise is designed to present the realistic problems of forecasting weather. Lake effect snows are hard to forecast because they depend on information that isn't part of the regular set of information ...

Hurricane Tracking
This is a homework assignment that focuses student attention on ongoing hurricane/tropical storm development, often during the height of hurricane season. The students are directed to a web site (I like ...

Dam the Wilderness: Building "Green Hydropower" on Big Creek
Students exercise knowledge of how dams impact physical and biological systems to try to design a dam that minimizes its impacts while still meeting power production and water diversion requirements.

Back of the Envelope Calculations: Renewable Energy
This is an example of a back of the envelope calculation of the payback period for a renewable energy installation.

The Lifestyle Project at the University of North Dakota
I use the Lifestyle Project in my Introduction to Environmental Issues class. This 3-week project asks students to make changes to their everyday environmental habits. This helps students realize that they have control of their lives and they can make decisions and make changes if they want to. And, given this empowerment, students can think about their impacts on Earth and their obligations to the planet and our society.

Environment and the Earth Class
The Environment and the Earth class at the University of South Carolina participated in a campus environmental service-learning project where students collected data lighting, water fixtures, recycling bins, and trash in five academic buildings.

Energy culture as a determinant of a country's position in the climate talks
This activity is part of the community collection of teaching materials on climate and energy topics. This activity was submitted by faculty as part of the CLEAN Energy Workshop, held in April, 2011 and is not yet ...

The Great Energy Debate
This lesson plan explores the energy debate in the U.S. Students will hold a mock congressional committee meeting and make decisions about public lands and energy resources. -

Investigating Renewable Energy Data from Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Panels
DATA: Soltrex Online Data. TOOL: Microsoft Excel. SUMMARY: Examine solar energy generation; explore websites that monitor and report solar energy production from panels at many different locations; and consider how much of a school's or home's energy needs could be supplied by solar power.

Biking vs Driving
How much difference would biking to work one day per week make?

Tropical Cyclones and Global Change
This is a full semester project focusing on tropical cyclones and climate change for my undergraduate tropical meteorology class. It consists of five parts, outlined below.

Researching, constructing, and testing (student made) Solar Ovens
This activity requires students to research, design, construct, and test a solar oven. Students will collect data from their own individual oven to combine with research of "real-life" solar ovens in an activity ending scientific paper.

Oil and Gas Exploration Project
Students play the role of a geologist for an oil and gas exploration company. Given a budget and some basic geological information they are required to bid on leases, explore, drill, and hopefully produce at a ...

How much energy do you save by doubling insulation?
Students will be provided the governing equation for steady state heat transfer across a surface. They will use that equation to explore the effect of changing the insulation value on the amount of energy used.

Replacing Household Appliances: Refrigerator
In this problem, students compare the energy use of their existing refrigerator with a new refrigerator.

Energy Cost of Engine Idling
This is an open-ended but elementary modeling exercise about idling energy behaviors and impacts.

Alternative Energy Resources
This activity is a cooperative learning experience investigating alternative energy resources.

Energy Resources: Considering the Sustainability of Past, Present, and Future Resource Consumption
Students consider the vast amount of past and present energy resources in the world, their distribution, as well as the sustainability of their use. It introduces the idea of resource consumption and distribution to high school students.