The Catalyst: Sustainability in Industry

Tennessee has been a prime location for industry for many years; increasing

By: Vaughn Cassidy

Tennessee has been a prime location for industry for many years; increasingly these industries lead in environmental stewardship, as well as production and job development.

In East Tennessee, La-Z-Boy is a prime example of sustainable industry, with an ongoing zero-waste facility commitment since 2017. La-Z-Boy is a member of the Tennessee Green Star Partnership, a voluntary environmental leadership program facilitated by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. During the first quarter of this year, they recycled almost 2 million pounds of cardboard, nearly 5 million pounds of metals and an amazing one million pounds of poly foam.

Other industries in Tennessee, namely the significant food manufacturing sites in the middle of our state, are leaders in the conservation of our most precious resource: clean water. Frito Lay in Shelbyville, another Tennessee Green Star Partner, uses an immense amount of water to process potatoes for their snack foods. Rather than simply return the water to the local public treatment system, Frito Lay uses that water to provide for their nearby 1,100-acre farm. Wheat, corn, and drinking water for cattle all come from the water used to wash and process those Frito Lay’s products.

On the horizon for West Tennessee is a new site for Ford Motor Company. Blue Oval City, Ford’s new manufacturing site in Stanton, will soon join GM in Spring Hill, Nissan in Smyrna, and Volkswagen in Chattanooga in making Tennessee a leader in electric and hybrid vehicle manufacturing. Ford will co-locate recycling vendors at Blue Oval City to process returned batteries to recover materials like lithium, nickel, copper, and cobalt.

Below is a quick list of several more sustainable initiatives by Tennessee Green Star Partners just this year:

Tuff Torq in Morristown has converted machining equipment from oil-based coolants to water-based coolants, resulting in a significant reduction in waste oil.
Mastermelt of America in Sweetwater reduced of use of aluminum sulfate in water treatment, saving nearly 6,000 gallons of waste process water by switching to a safer alternative.
Clayton Morristown Lux Interior Doors reuses 100 tons per month of process sawdust into absorbents socks for their facility and others in the area.

America Recycles Day is on November 15th. During the week of Nov. 11-15, the Office of Sustainable Practices will be sharing tips on recycling through their social media. America Recycles Day is a national initiative created by Keep America Beautiful dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States. For more information visit the America Recycles Day website. Additionally, if you would like to participate in a recycling event, the Tennessee Environmental Council will be hosting a Recycle Roundup at Castle Heights Elementary School in Lebanon on November 16th. For more information on these events to collect hard-to-recycle items, please visit the Recycle Roundup webpage.

Clarence Coffey was named the Robert Sparks Walker Lifetime Achievement Award winner on October 18th. Coffey’s work has influenced conservation methods now recognized by leading experts in multiple fields of study. In a long career spanning many titles and accomplishments, Coffey is known most for applying prescribed fire as a solution to a massive outbreak of the Southern Pine Beetle that killed pine trees across the Southeast in the early 2000s. At Coffey’s urging, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency implemented a prescribed fire in salvaged areas of the Catoosa WMA, resulting in a surge of native grasses and wildflowers.

The strategy created awareness of the need to use Coffey’s approach of prescribed fire throughout the Southeast. To learn more about Coffey and the conservation work of Robert Sparks Walker, the award’s namesake, please visit the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards page.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, numerous organizations are mobilizing to provide essential support to affected communities.

Shower Up Nashville deployed mobile shower units to Asheville, sharing their efforts on social media and calling for donations to cover gas, lodging, and supplies necessary for their continued operation.
Patagonia Nashville is also playing a vital role, collecting supplies to assist those in need. Be sure to check their social media to see which items they are still accepting.
RISE Erwin is accepting monetary donations and recruiting volunteers to help Erwin, TN recover.
Equal Plates Project, a nonprofit in western North Carolina, is working to provide emergency meals by purchasing produce from local farmers. Their efforts are aimed at reaching a broader population in Asheville and surrounding areas.
Additionally, volunteers can contribute to recovery by checking for cleanup and trail-clearing opportunities listed on the East Tennessee parks events page.
For trained wastewater plant operators, the Tennessee Department of Water Resources has outlined various volunteering opportunities on their website, facilitating critical recovery efforts.

Together, these organizations and volunteers are making a significant impact in the recovery from the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.

We are very excited to announce that Tennessee will celebrate the 4th annual Food Waste Prevention Week on April 7-13, 2025. Here in Tennessee and across the world, partners celebrate Food Waste Prevention Week through social media engagement, community service, webinars, and in-person events.

Join us on November 7 at 2 pm EST / 1 pm CST to discover tips and strategies to host an engaging in-person event while capturing content that extends your impact long after the event ends. During the session you'll hear from:

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Nashville event planner, Madeline Roberson, of Network for Sustainable Solutions
Rockit Science Ad Agency

Tennessee is fortunate that our energy costs are relatively low compared to the rest of the country. But that doesn’t mean we can’t take steps to reduce our energy usage, utility expenses, and pollution that results from using energy.

For more than 20 years, the EPA Energy Star program has helped consumers find options for saving energy. In addition to providing a list of certified products that use less energy, the Energy Star website shares rebate opportunities, tax credit information, and certified installers.

Energy Star has a new tool: a Portfolio Manager designed for commercial facilities. This free tool can help a facility develop energy usage benchmarks and identify improvement opportunities. Additionally, the Portfolio Manager can help track energy, water, waste, and GHG emissions. Tracking allows your business to showcase its commitment to reducing energy usage and impact on the planet and saves your business money through reducing your energy costs.

Recipe of the Month

It's never too early to think about how to use those yummy Thanksgiving leftovers! We are a fan of the classic sandwich and casserole and even enjoy spicing it up with with leftover turkey curry, but this year we plan to try Thanksgiving crunch wraps.