The goal of this article is to analyze American foreign aid and whether it promotes environmental sustainability. A review of the significant literature was undertaken and some suggestions have been provided to make our foreign aid more effective. Our development agencies, mainly the United States Agency for International Development, while well-intentioned, are inefficient, and subject to interference by Congress and the Executive Branch. Some suggestions have been made to improve overseas development assistance (ODA) delivery, efficiency, and sustainability. This article stresses the need for environmental science, geography, and social science educators to incorporate foreign aid as a part of holistic, interdisciplinary curriculum. ODA should be only a small part of a larger focus, including debt and fair trade, to help developing countries become economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. The United States is obliged to pay its fair share for use of the global environmental commons. Some options have been presented to redress America's use of the global commons including a proposal to triple ODA to 0.3% of GNP.