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Greening Your Studio:
A Preliminary Checklist
The following guidelines are relatively easy steps you can take to minimize the environmental impact of your studio.
Printing for Prakriti (Nature)
Paper choices have come a long way. Print schedules, flyers, and other promotional materials on tree-free or recycled paper. With recycled paper look for a high post-consumer waste percentage. The paper bleaching process can also cause serious environmental harm?choose non-bleached or non-chlorine bleached paper.
Don?t forget to close the loop. Recycle your waste paper, bottles, and cans.
Help Students Keep Their Cars at Home
Not only will walking or biking to class help get your students? prana (life force) flowing, it can reduce air pollution and damage to the planet caused by the oil and gas industries.
Keep public transportation information handy in your studio and on your website.
Set up a bicycle rack to encourage students to ride to class.
Think Before You Buy
There are low-impact alternatives for many commonly used items. Some of these suggestions will even save you money over the long-term.
Install low-watt energy-saving light bulbs.
Use bees-wax, soy, or other non-petroleum candles.
Wash towels and mats with toxic-free soap.
Use non-chemical cleaning supplies for the studio including floors, windows, walls, bathrooms.
In the bathroom, use recycled paper products and non-toxic hand soap.
Green Spaces, Places, and More
Green plants can help keep the air clean and provide a soothing connection to prakriti (nature) in your studio.
Take stock of the retail items you sell. Choose items that are sustainable, non-toxic, and fair-trade.
Start keeping track of the studio?s monthly energy consumption. You?ll be able to identify small ways to save energy and money.
Install water saving devices at sinks, showers, and toilets.
Analyze the physical structure to potentially install flooring and/or shelving from sustainable or reclaimed resources (bamboo, cork, etc.)
Join the Green Yoga Association
We?re committed to providing you with the resources to make a difference. Our Green Studios program is developing a detailed handbook that will help you when making choices that impact the planet.
If you?re a part of Green Studios, you?ll receive recognition online and in our newsletter. More importantly, your studio will receive recognition from your students as a place where they feel safe and inspired.
To join our pilot program and be part of the planning of this handbook, email info@greenyoga.org.
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