“As we enter the twenty-first century,” writes the theologian and environmentalist Thomas Berry (2000, p. 196), “we are experiencing a moment of grace.” Anyone paying attention to the news these days has good reason to view this claim with some skepticism. What Berry means, however, has less to do with divine mercy than with the limited-time only offer that has been placed on the table for our consideration as a species. It is a moment unlike any previous one in terms of what is at stake. It is a moment that challenges us to transform our exploitation of the Earth into a relationship that is “mutually beneficial” (p. 3). And, as luck would have it, the moment is a brief one. Unless we act now to preserve and enhance the life, beauty, and diversity of the planet for future generations, as Berry puts it, we will become “impoverished in all that makes us human” (p. 200).

As daunting as this challenge may appear, sustainability involves much more than simply minimizing the negative impact of human activity on the biosphere; it seeks to promote the understanding that environmental stewardship, an equitable distribution of resources and power, and a healthy economy are all necessary to enhancing the quality of life. It acknowledges the interdependence of society, the economy, and the environment, and it encourages long-term, strategic thinking rooted in a whole systems approach. Consequently, sustainability is less a product than a dynamic, evolving process.

Drawing on the United Nations’ Brundtland Report (Brundtland 1987), sustainability is most frequently defined as meeting the vital needs of the present without  

Peter W. Bardaglio. 2007. "A Moment of Grace": Integrating Sustainability into the Undergraduate Curriculum. Planning for Higher Education. 36(1): 16–22.