Urban Green Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that exists to teach communities how to live sustainably in Nashville, TN and its surrounding counties. We envision a Nashville where everyone has access to opportunities for learning about sustainable living.
OUR IMPACT
How we work
The Classrooms Division includes the Sustainable Classrooms program.
Recently, the Classrooms Division trained educators from Isaac Litton Middle School teaching them how to bring sustainability into their classrooms and school.
Educating Households
The Households Division includes the UGL Volunteers and Sustainable in the City.
The Households Division recently relaunched Sustainable in the City as a podcast with the Nashville Department of Waste Services. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts.
The Households Division includes the UGL Volunteers and Sustainable in the City.
The Households Division recently relaunched Sustainable in the City as a podcast with the Nashville Department of Waste Services. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts.
Coaching Workplaces
The Workplaces Division includes the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable, Sustainable Workplaces Collaborative, and B Tennessee.
Workplaces Division recently launched a new educational program for Nashville organizations called the Sustainable Workplaces Collaborative.
Exploring Solutions
We explore solutions through our two special initiatives, the Nashville Environmental Justice Initiative and the Nashville Food Waste Initiative.
The Nashville Food Waste Initiative just installed the third mural in our "Waste Less" murals project, which highlights how food is community. The mural was designed and painted by LeAndra Crystal.
We explore solutions through our two special initiatives, the Nashville Environmental Justice Initiative and the Nashville Food Waste Initiative.
The Nashville Food Waste Initiative just installed the third mural in our "Waste Less" murals project, which highlights how food is community. The mural was designed and painted by LeAndra Crystal.
The Sustainable Changemakers Collective is more than just a membership program—it's a movement of people committed to transforming Nashville into a culture that values sustainability.
By becoming a member, you're sustaining the work of positive culture change in our city. Plus, members enjoy exclusive benefits like discounts to local businesses and VIP experiences at events.
Program Participant Testimonials
“It makes me happy that there is such a community of inspired people with the goal of making Nashville more sustainable on an individual and community level.”
- Maria Morales, UGL Volunteer
UGL EVENTS
Lessons Learned from the Ice Storm: A Community Conversation
Join Urban Green Lab and Patagonia Nashville for an evening of thoughtful dialogue examining how sustainability and resilience intersect in moments of crisis.
Treasure Not Trash: Short Film Premiere
Join us for the Compost Short Films Launch: Treasure Not Trash, an engaging video series exploring the food journey, why preventing food waste matters, and how individuals and businesses here in Nashville can take action.
Nashville Sustainability Roundtable – January 29, 2026 (RESCHEDULED)
Join us for the Nashville Sustainability Roundtable on Thursday, January 29th, hosted by Urban Green Lab in partnership with Mane Impact!
THE UGL BLOG
What is an Urban Heat Island?
Did you know some urban neighborhoods in Nashville can be up to 17 degrees hotter than in nearby rural areas? Moreover, communities of color are more likely to live in hotter places, putting them at greater risk for heat-related deaths and injuries.
What is Climate Change?
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Since the Industrial Revolution, human activity has been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas.
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability exists at the intersection of society, the environment, and the economy. Rather than perfection or shame, living sustainably is based on making decisions that preserve natural ecosystems we rely on.
UGL News
Urban Green Lab to Receive $10,000 Challenge America Award from the National Endowment for the Arts
Urban Green Lab to receive $10,000 Challenge America Award from the National Endowment for the Arts to support the Waste Less mural project.
Urban Green Lab Co-Hosts Climate Week Cook-Off with 1 Hotel
Urban Green Lab co-hosts Climate Week Cook-Off in Nashville with 1 Hotel to showcase the connection between food waste and the climate.
Nissan North America Donates Electric Vehicle to Urban Green Lab
Nissan North America has donated a fully electric 2023 Nissan LEAF to Urban Green Lab (UGL), continuing its support for UGL’s mission of teaching communities to live sustainably.