Post-communicative methodologies nowadays provide instructors with multiple curricular models to reimagine their syllabi, design creative assignments, and prepare their lessons. Yet, challenging topics are still often avoided, fearing students' limited language proficiency. Conversely, compelling content--carefully presented and pedagogically suitable to the students' level--is a pivotal tool to enhance language learning while increasing students' interest and critical thinking. In this article, the author will discuss how environmental, cultural, and social issues of sustainability became an important tool in developing new curricula in the Italian language program at Harvard University. She will present ways to raise cultural awareness and engage upper level-students in critical linguistic exchanges in a fourth-semester course, entirely designed following an interdisciplinary teaching approach to sustainability. Addressing these timely issues, relevant to the Italian discourse and on a global scale, can attract and empower students in the world classroom while providing the opportunity for meaningful language acquisition.