April is a big month at Urban Green Lab. It’s Earth Month!
If you’re looking for ways to celebrate Earth Month or Earth Day in Nashville, we’ve got you covered with a roundup of events and activities that honor our planet and explore solutions for a more sustainable future.
Check out how you can celebrate and learn with Urban Green Lab, connect with local organizations, or take action on your own!
Celebrate and Learn with Urban Green Lab
- Attend Nashville Earth Day on April 19
- “Presented in partnership with Urban Green Lab and sustained by Amazon, Nissan, and HCA Healthcare Foundation, this free, family-friendly event brings the Nashville community together to celebrate our planet, inspire positive environmental change, and support sustainable small businesses and nonprofits. Nashville Earth Day will feature engaging and educational activities from more than 75 exhibitors and vendors, including local growers and makers, nonprofits, sustainable small businesses, and state/metro government agencies. The event will also include free live music, engaging Kidsville activities for all ages, and local food vendors. Returning this year is the EarthTalks Tent, which will feature a diverse lineup of experts providing information about interacting with nature and actionable, sustainable living tips for attendees.”
- Visit coffee shops for the Earth Month Coffee Crawl from April 1-30
- Explore Nashville’s coffee scene while learning about sustainability and food waste prevention all month long! Presented by Urban Green Lab and Compost Nashville, this self-guided tour highlights local coffee shops committed to greener practices, including Crema, Bongo Java, Paper Street Coffee, Fido Cafe, Frothy Monkey, Flora & Fauna, & Forevermore!
- Learn more about reducing food waste and visit our murals around town
- Check out sustainability-themed murals across Nashville! You can find the murals on the Bandywood Drive side of the Kroger in Green Hills at 2131 Abbott Martin Rd, on the store windows at Patagonia Nashville in the Gulch at 601 Overton St, and at Turnip Truck Natural Market, which installed a mural at its Charlotte Avenue location at 5001 Charlotte Ave.
- Invest in sustainability education in Nashville by joining the Sustainable Changemakers Collective
- Become part of a growing movement of people committed to making Nashville more sustainable. With a monthly donation to Urban Green Lab you would receive benefits like discounts to local businesses, UGL swag, invitation to community-building events and the satisfaction of contributing to a greener future!
Celebrate and Learn with Other Local Organizations – in order by date and time
- Attend the Nashville Black Market on April 4
- Shop, eat, network, and dance while supporting Black entrepreneurs and building a stronger, more sustainable community. This vibrant event connects culture and commerce through regional markets, leadership panels, and mentorship programs.
- Attend Nashville Bicycle Fest on April 12 – multiple dates
- “In partnership with The Civic Design Center, and Walk Bike Nashville, this event brings together a wide variety of bicycling enthusiasts – from supporters to mechanics, from beginners to experienced cyclists, from commuters to mountain bikers to cargo haulers and more! Visit their calendar for other bike related events!”
- Attend Earth Day in the Hood with Recycle & Reinvest on April 19
- “Recycle, Reinvest, and Partners presents Earth Day In the Hood, a vibrant and educational fundraiser event. This event celebrates people and the planet, focusing on marginalized communities affected by environmental inequality. Attendees can expect a dynamic lineup of activities, including watching a thought-provoking movie, engaging in upcycling arts and crafts, enjoying healthy snacks, and grooving to the beats of a talented hip-hop artist.”
- Attend an event with Cumberland River Compact– multiple dates
- Participate in river cleanups, Conservation Landscape 101, and tree planting events.
- Volunteer with Tennessee Environmental Council – multiple Dates
- Join TEC by volunteering with shade gardening, recycling roundups, litter clean ups, pollinator gardens and more!
- Attend an event with Friends of Shelby Park – multiple dates
- Immerse yourself in nature, learn more about local wildlife and flora, and volunteer in Shelby Park.
- Volunteer with theHarpeth Conservancy – multiple Dates
- “We’ll collect trash and debris and learn more about how to be a life-long clean water advocate and river steward. Trash grabbers, gloves, trash bags, and snacks will be provided. Please bring your own water bottle to help us cut down on plastic waste.”
- Take a class with Turnip Green Creative Reuse – multiple dates
- “Our studio workshops are open to the public and hosted in our Studio! These hands-on workshops use materials from our Reuse Center and are taught by local artists. We offer both adult and kids workshops for the community.”
- Attend a Nashville Public Library event – multiple dates
- Join the Nashville Public Library for multiple workshops and events in April to learn how to garden, swap plants and seeds, save seeds, and more!
- Volunteer with Brooklyn Heights Community Garden – multiple dates
- “Occurring twice a month, these 2-hour volunteer sessions allow us to connect with ourselves, each other, and the Earth. We provide the tools, the instruction, and the love-filled garden space. You bring your hands and your heart. Together, we help the garden thrive as a healing space and source of locally grown produce for our historically under-resourced neighborhood.”
Celebrate and Learn on Your Own
- Get out in nature and explore a local park
- Take a moment to experience the Earth’s sights and sounds by immersing yourself in nature at a local park. Nashville offers multiple options for immersing yourself in nature through local parks. Some of our team’s favorites include Shelby Park, Radnor Lake, Centennial Park, and Edwin and Percy Warner Parks.
- Participate in No Mow Month with the Cumberland River Compact
- “Throughout the entire month of April, the Cumberland River Compact is encouraging residents of Davidson County to give their mowers a rest and let their grass grow! By participating in No Mow Month, residents can actively improve water quality, reduce carbon emissions, and create healthy habitats.”
- Watch a documentary
- Learn at home by watching a documentary about nature, wildlife, sustainability, or environmental issues. Some staff favorites include: 2040, directed by Damon Gameau; Wasted! The Story of Food Waste, directed by Anna Chai and Nari Kye; and Kiss the Ground, directed by Joshua Tickell and Rebecca Harrell Tickell.
- Borrow seeds from the Nashville Public Library Seed Exchange
- “The Seed Exchange offers access to local librarians who will support, coach, and cheer you on as you grow your own home, school, church, or community garden. The best part about our Seed Exchange: it’s free! All you need is a library card.”
Did we miss an Earth Month event? Email us at Karissa@urbangreenlab.org and let us know!
About Urban Green Lab:
We teach communities how to live sustainably. A Nashville-based nonprofit founded in 2009, we work to ensure all of us have access to sustainable living education. To do that, we organize, train, and connect people in classrooms, households, and workplaces – places where culture begins. In all of these places, we incorporate education on two strategic topics of sustainability for Nashville: environmental justice and food waste, connecting everyday decisions to the impact on our neighbors and the planet.