Namaste for Earth Day

Why does celebration of planet earth feel like something we should be doing every day? Well, if you’re a yogi, you already are.

Yoga and honoring the earth are two activities that come hand in hand, as the practice leads you to recognize and appreciate the importance of the Earth, and all that it gives to us. The meditative experience yoga provides is a practice that always has and always will promote an eco-centric approach towards life.

If your daily practice is already honoring the Earth, you might be wondering what else you can be doing (as a yogi) to give back to the planet. Think of these habits as rituals just as important as your daily yoga practice, and you’ll soon be showing gratitude to the planet without even realizing it.

Everyone has heard of the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), and these are acts that can be translated into the yoga world, too:

REDUCE!  

Car emissions

A drive to the yoga studio, as quick as it may be for some, contributes to air pollution and gas wastage if it’s done on the daily. Take your bike for a spin to the studio, or even carpool if you have friends that live nearby!

Use of plastic

As we all know, plastic is one of the biggest contributors to pollution and due to its availability and cheap price it’s used to make almost all of the objects we use day to day, even some yoga mats! Some yoga mats still use PVC, whereas many brands have moved over to using more eco-friendly and sustainable materials for their mats. Doing some research into the material of a mat before you purchase not only helps the environment, but makes your money go further!  

Food waste

This one takes a little more time and effort, but the results are extremely worthwhile and if you’ve got a green thumb, you’re bound to know this trick. Fruit and vegetable scraps that might otherwise be absent-mindedly thrown in the trash make amazing fertilizers for your garden. This is because the organic matter is rich in nutrients and once decomposed, it becomes a soil-like material that often produces a better yield. Fruit and veggies aren’t just good for you, they’re good for your garden! 

 

REUSE!

Coffee cups

Sometimes you need a boost before your morning yoga session, and coffee is the perfect way to do that. But have you ever noticed how much waste is made from coffee cups? Investing in a reusable coffee cup not only reduces paper/plastic waste (and stops the company who produces them from making as many), but it makes your coffee taste better.

Water bottles

As much as caffeine is important for before your yoga session, water is important for your wind down after to rehydrate! Buying a new bottle every time you go out for practice is a habit not worth adopting, for the sake of your pocket and the planet. Spending a little bit of money on a reusable bottle that you can top up at home is a small habit change that can make a difference to how much plastic waste you make.

Old work-out clothes and yoga mats

We all know how good new pair of yoga pants feel! Instead of throwing away your old ones, why not transform them into something useful? Due to the softness of its material, they make great dusting cloths for your mirrors, windows and electronics screens. The slip free material used for yoga mats makes a great non-slip backing for carpets and rugs!

RECYCLE!

At home

Recycling containers aren’t just something that should be present in public spaces. Having them in your home or office is a great way to make sure you’re disposing of your waste paper, plastic and metal in the best way possible.

The right stuff

You often find that guidance on what can and can’t be recycled is confusing, because it is! When throwing away your waste, take a few seconds extra to look for a recycling label on packaging, or do a quick google search if you’re not sure. A good way to judge quickly whether something is recyclable is to remember that if its synthetic, its unsympathetic! 

Of course, the battle against pollution cannot be tackled by you and I alone, but if every person adopted at least a few of these habits, we can make a difference. Spread the word.