Tennessee Environmental Council

Our Mission: Helping People and Communities Improve Our Environment For All

Tennessee Environmental Council is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1970 as an umbrella organization that would tie together many different organizations with diverse, but common priorities into focused advocacy in the state legislature on behalf of Tennessee’s environment. Those groups were the League of Women Voters, the Junior League of Nashville, the Tennessee Lung Association, the Tennessee Conservation League, the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs, and the Tennessee Botanical Gardens and Fine Arts Center (Cheekwood).

Today, Tennessee Environmental Council remains a vibrant force in Tennessee, empowering citizens to actively participate in environmental stewardship. Through initiatives like watershed protection, organized litter cleanups, and recycling roundups, we facilitate tangible change. Our work extends to promoting sustainable practices at the individual level, offering resources for home composting, pollinator garden creation, and tree planting, encouraging Tennesseans to #bethsolution. By fostering collaborations with diverse partners and stakeholders, TEC ensures that Tennesseans across the state have the tools and opportunities to make a positive impact on their local environments.​
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Our Vision: Thriving habitats, a circular economy and climate balance in Tennessee!

TEC has been successful in protecting the Great Smoky Mountains, cleaning up the Pigeon River, reducing pollution from coal-fired power plants, and preventing degradation of high quality streams in the globally significant Duck River Watershed. We have twice been awarded the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award.