In this module, we set the stage for the entire course. You will learn about the current state of the world, ranging from climate change and its consequences to ocean acidification. We then see how climate change and our own direct impacts such as deforestation are affecting the plants and animals that share this planet with us. We then turn our attention to the problem of plastic pollution, and how this is rapidly becoming a crisis of monumental proportions. Some have even suggested that we humans are changing the planet in so many ways that we’re entering a new geological epoch referred to as the Anthropocene. Of course, sustainability is more than just an environmental issue. To this point, we will discuss the social inequity across the globe, and how those at the bottom of the economic pyramid often suffer the most. While this may seem a rather depressing start to the course, we need to understand the magnitude of the challenges facing us and our current understanding behind them if we are ever going to get to a more sustainable future. With that in mind, we conclude with some uplifting initiatives pioneered by scientists, environmentalists, entrepreneurs and often just passionate individuals that want to make a difference.