The Australian Association of Yoga in Daily Life has made all it's activies greenhouse gas neutral. Using 100% renewable electricity, off setting travel and gas use and most of all being 100% vegetarian. This is article explains how we did it ...

Living in Harmony

"Yoga brings balance, where there is balance there is harmony, and where there is harmony there is oneness. This is the aim of Yoga."

- H.H. Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda (Swamiji )

When we cause disharmony in nature though wrong actions then nature will balance itself again. The great Saint Sri Deep Narayan Mahaprabhuji said “Do not ignore the laws of nature or nature will take its retribution”.
To live in harmony with nature is an inevitable outcome of practicing Yoga in Daily Life. In order to reduce our ecological footprint and to reduce the rate of climate change, the practical steps that the Australian Association of Yoga in Daily Life has taken to walk softly on this Earth are:

• Reducing Energy consumption
  
• An ethical and sustainable Diet
• Use of sustainable Transport options
• Chemical free and biodegrable cleaning products used
• Reducing waste by composting and recycling
• Recycled or plantation paper used in all printing

Additional steps taken include the use of biodegradable cleaning products, recycled or plantation paper, recycling of waste including bio waste and e-waste, and every Yoga in Daily Life centre only uses animal free products.

Green Energy

Electricity

The Australian Association of Yoga in Daily Life uses 100% green electricity. We buy power from GreenPower  accredited renewable energy sources. This does cost extra so we have also taken steps to reduce our energy use by:

• Installing energy efficient lights. We use compact fluorescent bulbs and LED down lights for all non-dimmable lights.
• Switching off lights and electrical appliances that are not being used.
• Use timer plugs on equipment so make sure it is switched off out of hours.
• Using the energy rating of electrical goods in purchasing decisions.
• Increase our awareness of our energy use. When you are aware you are already nearly there.

Gas

Some centres use natural gas for heating and cooking so we off set all our gas use by planting trees. This should be done in an environmentally responsible way so Yoga in Daily Life usesGreenfleet  for off setting its emissions.

Diet

The choices we make about our diet can have the greatest effect on our lives and the lives of others. Good choices lead to our upliftment, good health, clear thinking, and happiness. Poor choices lead to our degradation, disease, suffering and death. 

“The two senses that have caused the most destruction to this world are touch and taste.”

- H.H. Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda (Swamiji)

Choosing to live a yogic lifestyle means following the highest principle of Ahimsa , non-violence.Living a noble life is living a vegetarian life. Being vegetarian is one of the greatest steps one can take. 
In relation to climate change the vegetarian diet has greater benefit to Mother Earth than taking the emissions from all the cars, trucks, buses, trains, ships and planes out of the atmosphere. According to the UN report Livestock’s Long Shadow  the transport sector accounts for about 13% of greenhouse gas emissions where as the livestock industry accounts for 18% of emissions.
Every Yoga in Daily Life centre is 100% vegetarian. This means no animal product is brought into the building. This contributes to the sattvic environment that many yoga students feel and comment on. Additionally every Yoga in Daily Life teacher is vegetarian. 

Transport

The Australian Association of Yoga in Daily Life off sets all of its petrol use and all flights. 

Flights

If flights are bought on Virgin Blue they are off set using Virgin Blues carbon off set programme, if bought on other airlines they are off set using Greenfleet .
All flights associated with Swamiji’s Australian tour each year including the international flights to and from Australia are also included.

Petrol

The amount of petrol bought in litres is recorded for most of the Associations car use. Any use that is not recorded is calculated using distance travelled and fuel consumption of the vehicle. This is then off set using Greenfleet . 

Many Yoga in Daily Life teachers and staff choose to use foot or pedal power whenever practical. The Association also encourages teachers attending training programmes to off set their personal travel emissions.

Other Benefits

In making steps to go greenhouse gas neutral we are also contributing to the wonderful side effects of living more in harmony with nature.

• Reducing Air Pollution.
  Air pollution kills around 2400 Australians  a year
• Reducing Water Use - to produce 1kg of  :
  beef takes 100,000 litres of water.
  wheat takes 900 litres of water
  Potato take 500 litres of water
• Living Cruelty Free – Living Longer
  Vegetarians live longer with less disease
• Regenerating the Bush
  Off setting greenhouse gas with Greenfleet means we are regenerating bushland 
• Reduction in waste generated, reducing our ecological footprint 
• Shopping in a sustainable manner and sharing resources with friends 
  
  

“Greenhouse Gas” vs. “Carbon Neutral”

In this article the term “greenhouse gas” is used because Carbon Dioxide is not the only greenhouse gas. Methane has about 21 times more Global Warming Potential (GWP) than Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide has 296 times the GWP of CO2. The livestock industry is a major contributor of these gases.