Elephant Sanctuary Wins Environmental Award for Sustainable Performance

The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee has been selected as the 2025 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award winner for Sustainable Performance. The award is one of nine in different categories announced today by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

The sanctuary, already known globally as a safe haven for captive elephants, has expanded its mission to lead in sustainability. Nestled in the scenic hills of Hohenwald, the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee is now recognized for animal care, and its commitment to environmental stewardship, serving as a model of what’s possible when conservation and sustainability go hand in hand. From massive waste reduction to renewable energy generation and water conservation, the sanctuary is proving that protecting animals and the planet are deeply interconnected goals.

In 2023 and 2024, the sanctuary achieved a landfill diversion rate of over 98 percent, thanks to a robust on-site composting program. Over 854,000 pounds of organic material, including elephant manure and food scraps, are processed annually and used to enrich the sanctuary’s soil. This eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers and supports ecological land restoration. The sanctuary also recycled over 134,000 pounds of cardboard, plastics, metals, and glass in 2024. Through partnerships with TerraCycle, a company focused on recycling hard-to-recycle materials, even materials such as medical waste and batteries are diverted from landfills.

The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee has made other significant investments such as solar energy infrastructure, installing solar arrays across four facilities totaling 119.5 kilowatts. Together, these systems now provide 25 percent of the sanctuary’s annual electricity needs. Battery backups at select locations offer additional energy resilience and grid independence, contributing to reduced carbon emissions and operational costs.

The sanctuary has also made considerable investments in sustainability measures to conserve water. More than 90 percent of the sanctuary’s water usage now comes from harvested rainwater, collected in cisterns with over 40,000 gallons of storage capacity. The sanctuary also prevents soil erosion and protects local waterways by managing stormwater runoff through advanced filtration and sustainable landscape design.

The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee’s sustainability efforts extend far beyond the fence line at the sanctuary. At the Elephant Discovery Center, the public is invited to learn about renewable energy; recycling and composting; climate action; and biodiversity.

Other winners of the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards announced today in different categories are:

• Natural Resources – Sanofi, a global healthcare company
• Clean Air and Transportation Solutions – Averitt, a supply and logistics company
• Agriculture and Forestry – Cul2vate, a faith-driven nonprofit
• Water Quality – Copperhill Industries
• Building Green – Donelson branch of the Nashville Public Library
• Education and Outreach – University of Tennessee Extension Smart Yards program
• Materials Management – WM (formerly known as Waste Management)
• Energy and Renewable Resources – White Pine Solar Farm