Extensive travel can take its toll on the environment. However, with some smart choices, you can ease your impact while you’re away. Incorporate some of Nashville’s green highlights into your time in Music City for an eco-friendly vacation. Not only will you get a rich taste of the area’s true local flavor, you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of knowing you supported environmentally friendly businesses while you were in Nashville.
 

Cycle the City

Image via Flickr by singletracktrails
Ease your impact on the city by ditching the rental car and biking about town. The NashVitality mobile app provides a convenient guide to all of the city’s bike routes and trails, and Nashville B-cycle supplies users with more than 310 red bikes scattered throughout the city at 36 B-stations. You can purchase a pass for just $5 a day or $10 for a week. If you’re in town for an extended stay, spring for the 30-day pass. At just $15, it’s a steal — and an outstanding alternative to the cost of a rental car.
 

Choose Farm-to-Table Dining

Enjoy an authentic taste of Nashville by dining at restaurants that source their meals locally. Burger Up prides itself on its dedication to thoughtful consuming. The beef comes from the Triple L Ranch in Franklin, Tennessee, while other ingredients are supplied by local farms. The Farm House Restaurant & Bar considers its suppliers to be its friends, sourcing trout from farmer Bob Lukens, heirloom tomatoes from Farmer Dave, and cheese from Kenny’s Farm Cheese in Kentucky.
The Old School Restaurant promotes a unique farm-to-table experience, bringing ingredients in from its own farm. The Old School Farm employs people of all abilities, providing sustainable jobs for the community while harvesting sustainable food for diners. Other local farms supplement the menu for outstanding seasonal cuisine that’s always changing to highlight the best of the region.
 

Support Local Artists and Artisans

Cut down on the miles that your souvenirs have traveled by buying from local artists and artisans while you’re in Nashville. Purchase a new handbag directly from local designers at shops like Ceri Hoover Bags and Emil Erwin or handmade shoes from Peter Nappi and fine leather goods at Colonel Littleton – Leather Goods. Donna Rizzo makes dance-inspired pottery, while Ben & Lael sells fine metal sculptures by artist Ban Caldwell. The options are endless for fine locally-crafted items.
 

Pick an Eco-Friendly Hotel

Pick a green hotel for your stay to add to the eco-friendly impact of your visit. All InterContinental Hotels Group hotels, including Nashville’s many Holiday Inn Express locations, utilize the Green Engage system. This gives each facility the ability to track and manage its impact on the environment. Hotels begin at level one with simple measures like installing energy efficient lighting. As they progress through the system, they may incorporate additional measures like sustainable purchasing, the use of eco-friendly appliances, and other innovative green strategies.

Planning a green stay in Nashville, Tennessee, is easier than you might think. Book your stay at a green hotel like Kimpton Aertson or Candlewood Suites Nashville, and start planning your eco-friendly retreat today.
 
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