WASTE LESS MURAL COHORT
A public art initiative rooted in the belief that reducing food waste starts with community.
What is the Waste Less Mural Campaign?
Led by Urban Green Lab in Nashville, TN, and brought to life in partnership with Greensboro, NC, Cincinnatti, OH, and Seattle, WA, the Waste Less Mural Campaign invites neighbors to share stories, traditions, and everyday choices around food.
Through interactive art installations and joyful community gatherings, each city creates its own unique space for connection—where conversations about sustainability feel personal, practical, and full of possibility.
More Than Awareness
This work goes beyond raising awareness—it’s about making people feel seen and heard through powerful connections based on:
- Sharing family recipes
- Reflecting on cultural food rituals
- Discovering new ways to waste less in the kitchen
The campaign celebrates how small actions and shared experiences can add up to real change. Public art becomes the bridge: bringing people together, sparking ideas, and reminding us all that our choices matter—and that we’re in this together.
A Collaborative Cohort
In the Waste Less Mural Campaign cohort, we work collaboratively across cities to:
- Share strategies and troubleshoot challenges
- Support one another in bringing food waste reduction to life through public art
- Meet monthly for honest dialogue about what’s working, where we’re stuck, and how to better engage our communities.
Together, we explore how to build strong, values-aligned partnerships within local food systems and social justice landscapes. We learn from experts in the field as well as one another’s unique contexts.
Additionally, the campaign helps communities unlock funding opportunities by bridging the worlds of sustainability, public art, and cultural placemaking.
This cross-sector approach not only strengthens local impact, but also advances a shared vision of food justice powered by creativity and community.
Learn more about the Cohort in our blog post, Waste Less, Paint More: How Public Art is Sparking a Food Waste Reduction Revolution Across U.S. Cities.
Cohort Partners
Greensboro, North Carolina
In Greensboro, we know food is more than just fuel—it’s a story, an art, and a catalyst for change. Through A Simple Gesture and our new Green Fork Award, we’re honoring local farmers, restaurants, and food businesses that lead the way in sourcing local, choosing sustainable, and reducing waste. As one of several cities working together nationwide to spark change through creativity and community, Greensboro is setting the table for a greener, more resilient future—because when we celebrate those who lead with purpose, everyone gets a taste of what’s possible.
Cincinnati, Ohio
In Cincinnati, public art is becoming a powerful tool to make sustainability more visible, personal, and fun. Across the city, government and non-profit partners led by Hamilton County’s waste experts are imagining bold collaborations—from library window murals to farm-to-table exhibits at Gleaners Art Gallery—that bring the message of reducing food waste into everyday spaces. Local nonprofit La Soupe is leading the charge with a citywide design contest inviting artists to create pop-art-inspired graphics for windows, aprons, and storefronts. With fresh ideas for art on bridges, community food freezers, and neighborhood trails—and the support of local creatives, BIPOC-led food pantries, and organizations like Molina Healthcare—Cincinnati’s vision is vibrant, connected, and rooted in community-led change.
Seattle, Washington
In Seattle, the Waste Less vision is just starting to unfold - and the ideas are buzzing. Partners are dreaming of ways public art could pop up in everyday places like parks, hotels, and other gathering spaces, sparking conversations in the middle of daily life. The City’s Solid Waste Division is exploring potential partnerships by listening to the community, finding trusted voices, and shaping a creative campaign to help Seattle foster a stronger connection to food, and, ultimately, prevent it from going to waste in the first place.
Interested in joining the Waste Less Mural cohort by bringing your city into the conversation? Reach out to Stephanie Roach, Director of Collective Action, for more info.