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Greenhouse Effect: Nashville's Eco-Friendly Bar
Jackie Daniel owns two neighboring businesses, the Greenhouse Bar and The Food Company.
At first glance, the only hint that the Greenhouse Bar is truly the watering hole its name claims to be is the long, bottle-filled structure smack-dab in the middle of the room. Otherwise, with wall-to-wall plant life, watering cans and giant fans, you’d swear it was an actual greenhouse – and it is.
Far from the neon of Lower Broad, the Green Hills bar is one of Nashville’s hidden nightlife hot spots, frequented by locals such as English professor Claire Bates. “This is my favorite bar to entertain out-of-town guests,” she says. “I say, ‘Let’s go to the Greenhouse,’ and they nod, unknowingly. Little do they know it’s a real greenhouse.”
Patrons can unwind at the end of the day while taking in the gorgeous greenery of their surroundings. As Bates puts it, “There’s something relaxing about drinking in a greenhouse; the park benches, gravel paths and corrugated aluminum bar.”
The horticultural ambience provides a unique experience. But it’s not only the vegetation that is green – so is the philosophy.
Owner Jackie Daniel recycles all of the cans, bottles and packaging her business produces. She has also installed evaporative panels, which create cool air through water evaporation. Fans circulate the
air, keeping her bar comfortable without air conditioning.
But that’s just the beginning. Instead of providing paper towels in her restrooms, Daniel supplies high-power hand dryers. While she does use gas heating to keep the bar warm in the winter, she does not heat the bathrooms, which saves energy.
The Greenhouse Bar is adjacent to The Food Company, also owned by Daniel. She never intended for her businesses to be green, she says. “I’ve just become more aware of my environmental impact, and I’m trying to change it,” she says. “I started with evaporative panels and added where I could from there.”
However, Daniel points out the high price tag that comes with the effort. Currently, the city does not assist with commercial recycling, so Daniel hires a private recycling company. Recycling also means extra work and a less-efficient kitchen operation. But regardless of the personal cost, it’s worth it to her. “The biggest impact you can make as a commercial business is to recycle,” she says. “Secondary would be burning less fossil fuels.”
While she isn’t sure if customers care much about her eco-conscious initiatives, Daniel believes it’s the unique atmosphere the Greenhouse Bar offers that keeps people coming back: “Where else can you go and get plants in your face, a gravel floor and a plastic roof?”
Indeed, Daniel has helped bring a little bit of green to Nashville even during the coldest time of the year. “The general horticultural vibe makes you feel like you’re outside when you’re not,” Bates says. “It’s the best place to go for the winter doldrums – the next best thing to a patio.”
For her part, Daniel is making an effort to get her customers involved. Individual bins for each recyclable item rely on patrons to place empty bottles and other waste in their proper containers. She says she believes people will refrain from making big changes to their lifestyles until it becomes more convenient. Until then, she will continue to focus on her own impact, urging others to join in.
“Something has to be done,” Daniel says. “Something has to change.”
Story by Jessica Walker
