Indie Yoga YoGreen Efforts

Indie Yoga has partnered with Carbonfund.org Foundation to reduce and offset its climate impact and hasten the transition to a clean energy future. In partnership with Carbonfund.org, we are achieving this goal through carbon offsets and reductions.

How Carbon Offsets Work

A carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for or to offset an emission made elsewhere. In Indie Yoga’s case, our emissions are made from electricity and gas. These offsets come from sources like renewable energy or a reforestation project to balance out the emissions Indie Yoga cannot reduce.

How it all works:

Carbon Fund

1. Carbonfund.org calculates and offsets our carbon emissions from calculations based on our gas and electric usage.

2. Carbonfund.org offsets our carbon emissions. Our donation supports projects that reduce carbon emissions. Carbonfund.org supports domestic and international renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects that reduce carbon dioxide emissions. All of their projects meet the highest standards and are third-party validated to ensure that our donation makes a positive impact. Read more on http://www.carbonfund.org/projects.

Carbonfund.org calculated that in a one-year window Indie Yoga produces 14.349 metric tonnes of emissions, which is equal to 31,634.1 lbs of CO₂ emissions (1 metric tonne = 2204.62 lbs of CO₂ emissions).

What does this mean in terms the general public can understand?
Because we have chosen to offset the 31,364.1 lbs of CO₂ emissions, it’s equivalent to:

carbon sequestered by 368 tree seedlings grown for 10 years or

CO₂ emissions from 598 propane cylinders used for home barbeques or

carbon sequestered annually by 3.1 acres of pine or fir forests or

CO₂ emissions from 1609 gallons of gasoline consumed.

Carbonfund.org retires offsets on Indie Yoga’s behalf

When we make a donation, Carbonfund.org retires offsets from their projects. When Indie purchases carbon offsets or supports a carbon reduction project, we gain the rights to the emission reductions. Many groups buy these rights and then use them to pollute or sell them. Carbonfund.org buys the carbon reductions and retires them, meaning that they are taken out of circulation forever. Simply put, they retire carbon by not using it.

Permaculture Philosophy - Indie's Meditation Garden / Sanctuary

In the spirit of applying Permaculture (a philosophy focused on taking care of the Earth while building community and supporting human needs) to every aspect of our business and our lives, Indie Yoga is in the process of turning the desolate alley behind the studio into a Meditation Garden / Sanctuary where people can spend time before or after class, or at any time they need a place to get away. With a focus on staying as green as possible we are utilizing re-purposed material to build out the infrastructure, natural and earth-friendly material whenever possible, greywater to irrigate, and will plant drought tolerant plants to avoid excess consumption of water. Please enjoy this new addition to Indie Yoga mindfully. Namaste.

Brita Hydration Station

The Brita Hydration Station serves as an alternative to bottled water. 39 billion single-use water bottles were consumed JUST in the US in 2008, which is double the amount used in 2003. Less than a third of those bottles are recycled.

By utilizing a reusable water bottle and the Brita Hydration Station, you are not contributing to this major environmental catastrophe. Statistics say that just one Hydration Station can reduce the consumption of as many as 36,000 standard 16.9 oz bottles a year!

The Enlightened Jelly

The illuminated jelly fish featured at Indie Yoga aren’t what you think they are. The soothing night lights are hiding a dark secret: they are really plastic bags, and they are polluting our oceans. Scientists are finding ratios of 40:1 plastic to plankton in our seas.

Rachael Marie McDaniel Erwin creates these enlightened eco-art oddities to share information on how sea life and the world at large has fallen victim to plastic waste. Plastic bags, in particular, look like jelly fish when floating through the ocean, and fool animals like sea turtles into thinking they are edible. It’s pollution like this that is leading to the extinction of many species vital to the global eco-system. Fortunately, there is a growing awareness of this critical issue. You probably already bring your own bags to the store!

Find out what else you can do by visiting facebook.com/manifestartandwellness, bagitmovie.com, and Netflix.com to view the film Bag It. You may call Rachael at (619) 518-4118 to get your own enlightened jelly and discover easy ways to heal the planet.