Sustainability isn't a destination - it's a practice. It lives in classrooms, neighborhoods, workplaces, and kitchens. We're here to make sure every corner of Nashville has access to it.
Sustainability isn't a destination — it's a practice. It lives in classrooms, neighborhoods, workplaces, and kitchens. We're here to make sure every corner of Nashville has access to it.
HOW WE WORK
If you'd like to know how it all connects, check out our new five-year strategic plan "Living Sustainably Together".
If you'd like to know how it all connects, check out our new five-year strategic plan "Living Sustainably Together".
OUR IMPACT, SO FAR
*Numbers reflect our 2025 baseline.
ENLISTING CHANGEMAKERS
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.
TESTIMONIALS
"Overall, teaching sustainability helps my students become responsible global citizens. They are able to consider the long-term consequences and outcomes of their actions to make better decisions, becoming better knowledgeable individuals in their life stages.”
- Carlos Calderón, Sustainable Classrooms Educator
"The Roundtable opened our eyes and helped us come to know other like-minded businesses in Nashville that care about how business gets done. There's business as usual, and then there are those who come to the Sustainability Roundtable to see how it can be done, factoring in true social responsibility."
- Greg Crofton, Nashville Sustainability Roundtable Member
“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
Green Sports Day Community Clean Up Event
Join the Nashville Sustainable Sports Alliance, Urban Green Lab, Recycle Reinvest, and Justice Industries for a morning of community harvest prep at Napier Community Garden in honor of Green Sports Day 2026.
Voices of Resilience Community Launch and Potluck Reception at West End United Methodist Church
Voices of Resilience — the traveling multimedia exhibit centering the stories of those most impacted by climate change, often first and hardest — makes its next tour stop at West End United Methodist Church on August 30th.
Free Training: Living Sustainably in Nashville – Sept 3, 2026
Join us to learn how to save money, reduce waste, and live healthier through adopting more sustainable habits and practices.
THE UGL BLOG
The Hidden Cost of Losing Employees – and How Sustainability Can Help
Sustainability isn’t just good PR, and it’s not just about environmental impact. It’s a workforce strategy. When you invest in authentic environmental and social initiatives, you’re investing in the conditions that make employees want to stay.
Winter Storm Fern and Extreme Weather Preparedness: Those Who Ignore History are Doomed to Repeat It
In 2008, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Red Cross and other like organizations began to lead “urban emergency preparedness workshops.” The crisis in New Orleans opened many eyes […]
The Cost of AI
It’s hard to imagine you haven’t noticed the proposed next best thing in tech. Generative AI for the masses. Commercials for ChatGPT, a detailed plan scrolling over a group of […]
UGL IN THE 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.