Eco-Newbie Yoga Primer!

A while back Mel, From Clutter To Shine, requested that a sort of Yoga-Newbie-Eco-Guide be posted for a quick reference of the essentials for an eco-yogi/ni. What a fantastic idea! Since she gave a quick primer on 'unschooling children' (awesome post- check it out!) then it's only fair I follow suite!

(yoga in the park in May!)

Eco-Yoga Newbie Guide

*N.B. The best first step in "greening" your practice is to decrease your consumption. Buying something new just because it's "green" and throwing your old mat/gear into the landfill/dump will not make our Earth happy. If you do have valid reasons for investing in new yoga products, then please check out this post on some ideas on what to do with your old mat and enjoy! :)

Yoga Mat!

Currently there are a zillion different kinds of yoga mats claiming to be "green"- so how is a yogi/ni to see through all the greenwashing and make the best choice?

Currently, one of the most eco-friendly products (other than keeping your own) that has the best performance is natural rubber. So far it's a toss up between Manduka's Eko natural rubber mat and Jade's natural rubber mat. Prana also has a natural rubber mat- but it's 90$ American... ACK. My advice- while visiting a class, check to see if they have any of these mats for you to try out during practice.

Also, if you are sensitive to strong scents, smell smell smell before you buy!

If you'd like more indepth mat info that I've accumulated so far please check out the yoga saga links on the right :)

Yoga Mat Bag!

I LOVE checking out etsy for handmade yoga mat bags... and if I didn't already have one that's probably where I would go. Don't you love this beautiful recycled Obi-Yoga Mat bag? If I had 120$...lol. Another option is making your own from fabrics you already have! Check out this fabulous how-to!

Yoga Prop!

As a bendy-challenged person, blocks and straps are very useful in my practice. The best "eco" option I found currently has been cork blocks. I have the Halfmoon cork block and LOVE it. With all the drama right now surrounding bamboo and how it may be harvested (check out this post for more info on

bamboo and eco-concerns) I feel better circumventing the whole issue with cork. Cork is heavier (less movement and helps with strength building) and softer.

Yoga Clothing!

I admit; I own mostly Lululemon yoga clothing; old school before it was outsourced and made in China. However there are definitely other options out there:

- wear whatever you are comfortable in! No new clothes bought :)

- Karma Clothing: made in Canada and has bamboo options (not ideal...)

- Skyler Clothing: made in Canada, pro-women/mother's rights (hires mothers to work from home)

- Gaiam: has organic cotton yoga options... all made in China (boo)

My first priority: Made in Canada, then I look for eco-fibers like organic cotton, hemp, soy, bamboo.

If anyone knows of other great companies I'd LOVE to hear about them :)

Yoga Bottle!

Bringing your water to class is essential and you care about what is leaching into your eau... Unfortunately there is no easy option, but so far the best choice is Stainless Steel. I LOVE my Klean Kanteen and Andrews hearts his too! They are easy to clean and very durable. Although nice and light, aluminum requires a "mystery" coating to protect your water from toxins leaching from the aluminum. Check out my post here for more info on options and all the fabulous things Klean Kanteen does for the planet! (our klean kanteen bottles posing in the strawberry plant- I am so artsy!)

Yoga Mat Cleaning Supplies!

lemon juice+water. Really that's it. You may want to try some tea tree oil for disinfectant or vinegar. All those little Josha wipes etc etc are extra waste and unnecessary. Careful with your rubber mat however, as quick dunks in the tub could actually make it slippery for the first few days!

Some helpers to make your practice more eco-friendly:

Home practice

Instead of driving to class every week, try upping your home practice. Yoga Journal has awesome sequence builders and there are many fantastic dvd's (I like Seane Corn) and online podcasts. It will help deepen your understanding of your own practice, save the planet and save you money!

Walk/bike/bus to class

Now that summer is here (in the Northern Hemisphere) walking and biking to yoga is a great way to continue your connection with Earth and your practice. Find out local bus routes and encourage your studio to post them!

Practice Outside

Regular readers know I LOVE outside practice. Such a quick and obvious way to emphasize our connection to our planet and tune ourselves to Nature.

Eat "green"

Try a "meatless Monday" to decrease your impact on our Earth through your meat consumption. Try buying the Top Ten Dirtiest Offenders produce as Organic to keep your body and our planet happy. For a list see here.

Be present, be happy!

By recognizing our interconnected and dynamic relationship with Earth and Her residents we can begin to notice small ways to change how we interact and behave with each other and the environment. Our planet is not "other", we are it. :)

Hope this was helpful, and I'd LOVE to hear any other suggestions or options you have!

Blessings!

Sweatifying My Practice

I went to my first "Hot yoga" class last Sunday. I have been avoiding any sort of "hot yoga" classes for a variety of reasons and finally decided to see for myself what all the hoopla was about. The studio I went to in Halifax- Moksha, is not a Bikram trained studio but a chain of "hot yoga" studios.

The concept of "hot yoga" was popularized by Bikram Choudhury; a four time champion of the National India Yoga Contest and a marathon runner (I know! Isn't he DREAMY???). Bikram patented his 26 postures and all intructors must complete an intensive two month certification process through his Yoga College of India (in LA). This link will allow you to read an interview with Bikram from the Chicago times which reveals what he thinks of the North American yoga industry among other things.

I was a little nervous that the Moksha's instructors were not as intensely trained and that the classes weren't clearly defined (other than the general run-down of types of poses). In any case, I got my gaggle of stuff ready (not used to bringing a towel!) and opened myself to the experience. 

It was interesting and expensive. The priciest class in the city and entering their studio I could see why- tiled floors, showers, washer/dryer, bathrooms and cork flooring in the studio itself. I felt wayyy out of my league there. The atmosphere was a bit more like a gym; the students didn't really talk to each other while getting ready and the studio itself had a "silence" rule.

I thought I was prepared for the heat- but I so wasn't! I found it hard to breathe, kinda like those summers in the Okanagan where it was sooo hot and dry the air felt heavy and thick. Pranayama is extremely important for me, I LOVE my Ujiai breath, helping my mind to focus on the movements of my body and keeping my core energy active and heated. I quickly discovered that this would be impossible in the heated class, as simply breathing was challenging and my body did NOT want to get any warmer. Throughout the class my focus was on trying not to overstretch and damage my "non-gumby" muscles; something that can happen so easily when your body is warmed up not through postures but from temperature. 

At the end of the class the instructor asked us to stay in savasana (laying in my pools of my sweat that actually just kept growing) and to leave quietly when we felt ready. It was strange not to be able to sit and meditate for a few minutes at the end (sans sweat). Throughout the class I kept glancing at the crazy room heat gages and wondering just how much energy was being used to keep that room heated. I guess they use radiant heating panels that can often cut energy consumptions by up to 40%... but how much is the 60% using compared to a regular studio?

Final conclusions: Although very detoxifying in that I probably sweat out the entire 98% water modecules, I felt more like I was practicing yoga in a heat wave; you know on the pave when you can actually SEE the waves of heat radiating up? In this hazy presence I didn't get the same kind of focus I generally get in my other classes, my mind wasn't thinking of my body or the postures, it was thinking of the heat. I have also pulled my achilles tendon while practicing in the Okanagan summer so I know very well what can happen if you try a pose your body is just not quite ready to attempt. In non-heated classes the postures are set-up so that our bodies are gradually prepared and strengthened, instead of the immediate opening a heated room gives. I know too many physiotherapists who would tisk tisk this "hot yoga" sillyness.

I would say that yoga in the park during summertime, surrouding by trees, birds, the smell of the ocean and the little ants crawling on my mat is more green "hot yoga" than in a tiny, energy sucking heated room. Yoga in the park is my goal for the summer! :)

Blessings!

Being an Eco-Yogi/ni in the Studio

As my practice deepens and becomes more spiritual (mostly as a result of actually considering Downward Dog as a restorative posture- YAY strength!) it continues to boggle my mind how so many mindful and committed yogi/ni's seem disinterested in my Eco-Mission. It is of note that an entire spiritual life path based upon increasing interconnectedness through yoga could have bifurcated to a level of complete separateness. We get into our cars and drive to the studio, practice yoga near but not interacting with others in a space that is insulated from the earth and our source of grounding, roll up our mats and drive back home. What's missing here?

As a student, yoga studios and yoga teachers are held aloft in this hazy glow of yoga-ness. I have heard from a friend who is taking her teacher training that this "teacher worship" is discussed in class. The teacher almost takes on the aura of "guru" and often students may experience spiritual or emotional release during practice and burst into tears (happened to me once!). So of course I just expected the teachers to have the same awareness and passion for the environment that just feels so naturally entrenched in that which is Yoga. A part of my personal practice is to let go of these expectations and the resulting disapointment.

BUT- wouldn't it be fantastic if we could practice in a studio that valued our earth? The Green Yoga Association is an awesome website to check out for more involvement. 

Here are some ideas that are easy to incorporate in a studio that is already up and running:

- replace paper towel with cotton (organic would be great) towels that can be washed. We use towels to dry our hands at home, so it shouldn't be a big change :)

- buy toilet paper made from recycled paper: many companies actually sell affordable TP made from recycled paper. My bum definitely does NOT need to have chemicals from all the bleached, brand spankin' new paper.

- have eco-soap like "attitude" or a locally made bar of soap (like Birchbark!)

- use eco-cleaning products like "Ecover" or "Seventh Generation"

- replace lights with CFL's

- offer water and lemon juice in a spray bottle with washable cloths to wipe down mats

- have soy or beeswax candles to decrease petroleum in the air we breathe.

Extra Ideas that involve a bit more change but are SO forward thinking:

- compost/recycle. This one should be EASY for Haligonian studios to do- composting and recycling programs are already in place and regulated by law. People are used to seeing separate bins labeled compost, plastic, paper with little pictures demonstrating examples for each.

- Offer carpooling or bicycling incentives: perhaps a discount card earning a free class.

- Advertise ride-shares or bus schedules on a community bulletin so students can carpool or take public transit.

- only sell environmentally friendly yoga-mats/accessories: cork blocks or manduka/jade mats.

- DON'T throw out old mats, find ways to reuse them or donate them!

Fantastical Ideas that I can only wish for:

- have the studio painted in low or zero VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) paint.

- have flooring made from sustainable (bamboo, cork) or even better; reclaimed wood

- stock the studio with cork or bamboo blocks and eco-mats

- Limit paper schedules and advertisements, most people have the internet now anyways. Those that you do print- print on recycled paper.

- have water efficient toilets and sinks.

- use renewable energy for heating and lights- solar, wind or water generated.

In a perfect world... 

Blessings!

This "Anti-Gumby" needs blocks!

As perhaps some may have noticed on my profile- although I LOVE yoga and practice several times a week I am definitely far from being "gumby" (or flexible for those non-eighties children out there). That's ok actually, since only one of the 8 limbs of Yoga as described in the Yoga Sutras comprises of the actual physical postures. And it actually took me two whole years of practice just to be able to touch my toes in standing forward bend!

Yoga blocks are truly a staple in my practice, allowing me to benefit from the postures instead of simply trying to keep my balance! (or hurting myself... and pulling my achilles tendon was not fun!). I bought my first yoga block about the same time I started to be able to touch my toes.

Typical yoga blocks are made with foam filled with phtalates, PVC and whatever else ridiculous toxic chemicals. These foam blocks are not eco-friendly, are difficult to recycle and will clog-up the landfills (think of all the yoga blocks at the yoga studio you attend! More on ecofied studios later though). 

During my research for this post I've found mention of some foam "eco" alternatives at "Barefoot Yoga Co." among others. Although they claim that the process is "green" it's only vaguely described and there are no third party eco-certifications to back their green production claims. 

The other two options that I think are fantastic are: Bamboo and Cork.

1. The Cork Yoga Block

You can find these blocks at Gaiam and Manduka to name two. Cork is harvested from the bark without any real harm to the tree. They have documented that the Cork tree's process of regrowing the bark actually consumes much more CO2, which is fantastic for the environment! Cork is also a very cushion-y and springy substance that has a lot of give. So for those Yogini/Yogis that love the softness of foam; Cork might be a nice alternative for you! The cons: I really couldn't find any info on how the cork was bound together to make the block- is there glue or a chemical process involved? Also, a cork block will not last as long as say... bamboo!

2. The Bamboo Yoga Block (my choice!) 

My block actually came from Lulu (shame!! I know... haha), but you can buy bamboo blocks from most yoga companies. Bamboo is a sustainable, extremely durable grass that also needs a lot more CO2 to grow than trees! It's strength and durability will assure a lifetime of use and it's super lightweight! The only negative aspect of bamboo is the current debate regarding harvesting methods. Due to the rise in demand for bamboo, less than palatable methods (including ridiculous amounts of pesticides, desecrating rain forests, taking over local crops and slave labour) are being used to make our props so we can achieve our "zen".  Sadly, how the block was harvested is still difficult to know.

I LOVE my block and have been considering getting another for friends and the Fiancé (I really don't want to share, but if I am the anti-gumby then he's.... um maybe like a strong branch...).