SustainLane 2006 US City Sustainability Ranking
Nashville: Music City
Along with the rest of Tennessee, Nashville (population 550,000) experienced a migration boom last decade. A dynamic national economy meant more jobs in many counties of Tennessee, which in turn created one of the fastest growth rates in the country. People came, lured by good jobs and mild seasons. Housing and services expanded to absorb the influx. The boom is now mostly over. The settlers of the 1990s are entrenched in their suburban enclaves, the subdivisions no longer brand-new.
Businesses came to Nashville, too. Major health care corporations made the city their regional base, and Nissan North America is now headquartered here. The city remains an attractive place for businesses to relocate, helped by its vibrant music scene, quality workforce, and positive business climate.
Nashville has been slow to adopt an articulated sustainability regime, but the Plan of Nashville presents a compelling course that could help mitigate long commute times and worsening air quality. As in many cities, small groups of citizens and professionals here are offering exceptional, often inspired, solutions to local problems. If city government can take the reigns and channel this energy, using its successes in areas such as solid waste management as a model, Nashville has an opportunity to move rapidly toward a more sustainable future.
