Exploring Life & Business with Abby Schneider of Simplify Nashville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Schneider.

Hi Abby, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I moved to Nashville from Oklahoma to attend college at Belmont University to study music business. I worked in the music industry for 10 years. My interest in recycling started from simply having curbside recycling at the house I was renting. (We didn’t have curbside recycling in my hometown). I paid attention to what could and could not go in the recycle bin, and began to question what else could be recycled beyond the traditional materials. (I mean, did you know you can recycle your old vacuum and curling iron at Best Buy, for free??)

My desire to learn more and consume less grew with each year. I founded Simplify Nashville in 2017 after visiting a Metro Nashville recycling center and seeing a lot of contamination in the recycle bins. (Styrofoam does not go in the plastic recycling container! But, there are options to recycle Styrofoam not far from Nashville!) I wanted to help educate Nashville on the basics of recycling, and at that time, there wasn’t a lot of recycling education. I am proud of how Simplify Nashville has grown. It’s inspiring to see other community members and followers who truly care about sustainability.

I’ve had local and national partnerships to encourage and incentivize recycling and sustainable living, and I share posts that allow people to jump into the sustainability journey without feeling overwhelmed. I started small, and you can too. It still makes me smile when friends tag me in posts with a recycling question – I appreciate that people think of me as the “go-to” when it comes to all questions recycling – they know if I don’t know the answer, I will find it. This side project led me to my current position as Recycling Education and Outreach Manager with local non-profit, Tennessee Environmental Council.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Overall, it has been a really easy journey.

If anything, the hardest part is reaching the people that I think would be interested in this information. I want everyone to be aware of what recycling resources are out there. But, you’re helping me get the word out by sharing this piece, so thank you for that!

We’ve been impressed with Simplify Nashville, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Simplify Nashville is accessible on Facebook and Instagram. I share information on all things surrounding recycling and sustainability. If you need to know “What can be recycled in Nashville” “What is composting”, “What to do with your old pumpkins”, “Where to recycle an old car seat” “Where to Recycle Styrofoam” etc., you’ll find that info on my page.

My goal is to keep items out of landfills. A lot of things don’t need to be thrown away. They can be recycled, composted, donated, or upcycled. My purpose is to help people rethink how they view trash. Years ago I helped a friend move. He was going to throw away his vacuum and a drum cymbal with a crack in it. I took the vacuum to Best Buy to recycle. I took the drum cymbal to Turnip Green Creative Reuse (A great reuse center in town that I highly recommend visiting) and they told me someone had taken the cymbal that day and was going to upcycle it into a light fixture. I hope people see Simplify Nashville as a resource to learn more about sustainability, and a resource to ask any recycling questions! I’m always happy to help people on their sustainability journey.

In 2022, I only took my trash cart to the curb once. While this may seem impossible to people, I don’t want it to discourage people from starting this journey. It took me a long time to get to that point. I changed my consumption habits, avoided buying items in plastic or single-use packaging, and found resources to recycle things beyond traditional items.

I’ve learned to appreciate experiences and nature so much more than things. I also highly recommend the documentary “Minimalism” – I think it’s still on Netflix. That and “The True Cost” changed my consumption habits. One of my favorite quotes that I read in a magazine years ago was, “If we all thought, I’m just one person and I can make a difference, so much could be done.” I hope people realize they can make a difference, they can lead by example, and we can all build a better community for ourselves, our children, and our neighbors when living a more sustainable life.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
I’m going to share two of my favorite recycling memories instead. When I lived in South Nashville, I ordered pizza and salad from Roma Pizza on Nolensville Road semi-regularly (Gotta give them a shoutout) – The salad came in a plastic clamshell (which can not be recycled in Nashville) and I didn’t want to contribute more plastic to a landfill, so I started writing in the notes section, “Please put the salad in a small pizza box” and they did, every time.

One day, I picked up my order instead of having it delivered. When I stated my name to pick up my order she said, “Oh! You’re the person that doesn’t like plastic!” which made me laugh – she then went on to say she appreciated my efforts. Another recycling memory: Whenever I go out to eat I always bring my reusable containers with me for leftovers so I can avoid plastics or styrofoam. Many servers would say, “Oh that’s a good idea! I’m going to start doing that!” So, it’s great to see other people inspired by my actions. I hope it’s a positive domino effect.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/simplifynashville
• Facebook: facebook.com/simplifynashville

Image Credits
Simplify Nashville