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One of the fundamental pillars of the yogic tradition is the principle of ahimsa, or non-violence to all things. But yoga's rising popularity has also meant a rise in the use of many products which contain toxins that can harm the environment.

Yoga's less-green side

Yoga practitioners worldwide are often some of the most earth-conscious beings around, but nonetheless, your yoga routine may be contributing to environmental degradation: chemical-heavy fabrics for yoga-wear, non-renewable substances used to construct mats and blocks, and the toxic chemicals used to clean them all. Add to that your journey to and from the studio and you may have added more than you bargained for to growing fitness-related environmental woes.

Yoga clothes

Start your morning asanas off right with eco-friendly clothing. Because of the way that conventional cotton is grown and treated, yoga clothes made from eco-friendly fibers, like hemp, bamboo, or organic cotton, can improve the environmental impact of your workout. A third of a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is needed to produce enough cotton to make just one top, and $2 billion worth of chemicals are sprayed on global cotton crops annually—almost half of which is classified as hazardous by the World Health Organization.[1][2] The chemicals used to treat conventional cotton can harm beneficial insects and soil microorganisms, pollute water, and adversely affect wildlife—including fish, birds, and livestock.[3] The farming of conventional cotton is also water-intensive. Approximately 400 gallons of water are required to produce a single cotton T-shirt.[4]

Yoga gear

More than 90 percent of sticky mats are made with PVC (polyvinyl chloride), as are many yoga accessories, such as yoga blocks.[5] Vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen which can cause a rare cancer of the liver, and vinyl chloride emissions from plants where PVC is manufactured may cause air pollution, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).[6] Dioxin, a byproduct of vinyl chloride manufacturing and incineration of PVC in domestic garbage, has been linked to immune system suppression, cancer, and reproductive disorders, even at very low levels. And the situation is getting worse: The EPA estimates that dioxin releases from the PVC industry more than doubled between 1995 and 2000.[7]

Yoga mat cleaners

Synthetic detergents used to clean yoga mats may contain chemical cleaning agents like alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) that are not easily biodegradable.[8] APEs are among the most widely used groups of surfactants, with about half a million tons produced annually worldwide.[9] The EPA has identified APEs as endocrine disrupters which can affect the reproductive systems of birds and mammals and disrupt the ability of some fish to reproduce, and measurable levels of APEs have been found in some lakes and streams.[10]

Local yoga

Shortening or eliminating the drive to your yoga studio can also lessen the environmental impact of your workout. Even if the local yoga shop is just a short two-and-a-half-mile drive from your house, an average small car will release more than 1.5 kilograms (about 3.3 pounds) of carbon dioxide (a leading contributor to global warming) roundtrip.[11] Cars and other vehicles on the road also produce air and water pollution, as well as increased energy and land consumption.[12] Walking or biking to the studio not only lessens the environmental impact of your meditation and exercise routine, it extends your workout with a built-in warm up and cool down as well.

Want the ultimate in local yoga? Stretch and breath in the fresh air of your own backyard. Green exercise, a fancy name for physical activity in the great outdoors can be a great way to stay healthy without adding miles to your routine.[13] Practicing yoga outdoors will not only increase your appreciation of a greener world, but can help calm your body and mind, too.

External links

• Green Yoga Association: Studios that have joined the Green Yoga Association are dedicated to fostering ecological consciousness in the yoga community, and can also help owners learn how to green their whole studios.