What is sustainability? The U.S. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 declared as its goal a national policy to "create and maintain conditions under which [humans] and nature can exist in productive harmony, and fulfill the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations of Americans." Intercultural communication plays a major role in sustainability efforts. "Going green" efforts can be seen at local, national, and international levels. Opening the lines of communication and learning from other experiences can help extend this effort on an international level.

The Environmental Protection Agency (2010) provides a current definition of sustainability as "a new way of thinking about an age-old concern: ensuring that our children and grandchildren inherit a tomorrow that is at least as good as today, preferably better. You want to be sure that the way you live your life is sustainable - that it can continue and keep improving for a long, long time."

Select either a specific country or a compilation of sustainability efforts in international organizations for your research. Questions to ask are:

What is the environmental challenge?

What part did human activity (or lack of activity) play in its development?

What is already being done or what is planned to be done about it?

How is the information communicated to members of cultures in which the work is being done or planned?

Is that communication initiative successful?

What else might be done to deal with this problem?

Finally, develop an outline for your presentation slides in this arrangement:

Title slide.

An introduction to your topic.

Identify the country and the international or cross-cultural relationships involved.

Identify the problem or question being addressed.

Show the part, if any, played by human activity in creating the problem.

Name and describe what is being done or planned for sustainability.

Describe what is being communicated to people who are affected.

Describe what is being communicated to people who might make a difference.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the communication method(s).

Suggest what else might be done to improve sustainability.

Reference list.

Some of these items might require more than one slide to present what you have learned. It's good to do that if you have information to share. Don't not leave any of the steps out. All of them are needed for a complete presentation.