URBAN GREEN LAB

SUSTAINABLE WORKPLACES - OUR WORKPLACES DIVISION WORKS WITH BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS, SCHOOLS, AND GOVERNMENT OFFICES TO IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION FOR EMPLOYEES. WE HELP WORKPLACES ORGANIZE GREEN TEAMS, TEACH THEM ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, AND CONNECT THEM TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THEIR BUSINESS THROUGH THE NASHVILLE SUSTAINABILITY ROUNDTABLE, SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTORY AND B TENNESSEE. IN 2025, OUR WORKPLACES DIVISION PRIORITIZED OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. WE HOSTED IN-PERSON EVENTS, SUCH AS ROUNDTABLES, FOR ORGANIZATIONS LOOKING TO FOSTER A CULTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY IN THEIR WORKPLACES, AND SPOKE ON MULTIPLE PANELS ABOUT SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS. WE ALSO LAUNCHED THE SUSTAINABLE NASHVILLE DIRECTORY FEATURING BUSINESSES THAT BALANCE PROFIT WITH CARE FOR THE PLANET. IN 2025, THE WORKPLACES DIVISION ENGAGED 42 ORGANIZATIONS. PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES GAINED ACCESS TO B TENNESSEE CERTIFICATION SUPPORT, PEER TO PEER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE NASHVILLE SUSTAINABILITY ROUNDTABLE NETWORK.

SPECIAL INITIATIVES - OUR SPECIAL INITIATIVES ARE FOCUS AREAS OF SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION THAT URBAN GREEN LAB HAS CHOSEN TO HIGHLIGHT AND INCORPORATE THROUGHOUT THE DIVISIONS. OUR PROGRAMMING TOUCHES ON MANY OF THEM. HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE IT'S ESSENTIAL TO HIGHLIGHT AREAS WHERE RESIDENTS CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE IMPACT AND TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE DAILY DECISIONS THAT AFFECT OUR NEIGHBORS AND THE PLANET. IT'S WHY WE TEACH ABOUT FOOD WASTE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, TWO CRITICAL TOPICS FOR NASHVILLE TO BE A GREENER AND MORE JUST CITY FOR EVERYONE. AS PART OF OUR SPECIAL INITIATIVES, URBAN GREEN LAB LAUNCHED SEVERAL INNOVATIVE PROJECTS TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION ACROSS MIDDLE TENNESSEE. NOTABLY, OUR VOICES OF RESILIENCE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT HIGHLIGHTED FRONTLINE CLIMATE EXPERIENCES IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THE WASTE LESSTM MURAL SERIES CREATIVELY RAISES AWARENESS ABOUT FOOD WASTE THROUGH PUBLIC ART. ADDITIONALLY, WE CONVENED THE NASHVILLE SUSTAINABLE SPORTS ALLIANCE, UNITING PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS TO PROMOTE ZERO-WASTE STADIUMS. THESE INITIATIVES REFLECT OUR SYSTEMS-BASED APPROACH TO FOSTERING LASTING, EQUITABLE CLIMATE SOLUTIONS. THE VOICES OF RESILIENCE PROJECT DOCUMENTED 4 COMMUNITY STORIES FROM FRONTLINE CLIMATE COMMUNITIES. THE NASHVILLE SUSTAINABLE SPORTS ALLIANCE LAUNCHED WITH ALL FOUR MAJOR PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS COMMITTED TO ZERO-WASTE STADIUM GOALS. THE WASTE LESS MURAL SERIES REACHED AN ESTIMATED 3,600 COMMUNITY MEMBERS PER WEEKEND AT THE NASHVILLE FARMER'S MARKET.