Chemistry, while being responsible for many environmental challenges, also contributes to our understanding of these issues towards identifying policies and solutions that address them. In this introductory course, chemical principles will be discussed through the following contexts (i) access to safe drinking water, (ii) why do fossil fuels drives our economies, and (iii) polymers, plastics, and "green" alternatives. The course demonstrates why a chemical understanding is necessary to investigate these environmental and social challenges. At the same time, the course aims to illustrate the importance of interdisciplinary approaches, connecting the science to other disciplines towards identifying socially just policies and solutions that protect planetary health. The final project explores the intersection of chemistry with other fields in identifying socially just policies and solutions to address the global challenge in access to safe drinking water. This course is a required Foundation course for the Interdisciplinary Science major. The course also satisfies the Foundation requirement for the Interdisciplinary Science minor and serves as an Elective for Food Studies.