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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 574
 
| Arent there any solar powered bikram studios? It seems that bikram is rapidly adding to the abuse to our mother earth? Surely whatever yoga style we do, we should be non violent towards our planet? America is one of the worst offenders in greenhouse gases-isnt it funny that america is the most popular place for bikram yoga? |
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Veteran
Posts: 149
| I know.... everytime I heat up heat up my sauna or go to the studio I am thinking the same thing....... what can we do? |
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| Consider the offsets--heating the studio creates income for the studio owners and the local utility company; the oil companies who fuel your vehicle to arrive there; the local baristas who make your mocha after class or Odwalla who supplies your health juice; it creates an environment of well being for the participants, etc., etc.--all this in some way contributes to our evolution of humankind--the good more than offsets any wacky-science bad.
Seriously, step back and look at the big picture. |
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| To live is to produce greenhouse gasses. (Even in death we produce greenhouse gasses as we will either rot or be cremated, both of which produce greenhouse gasses.)
We must consume energy to live and everything that we do consumes energy. Energy use and the production of greenhouse gasses happens whether people exist or not. The real question is whether we are using our resources wisely or wasting them. Everything is a trade off. What are you giving up and what are you getting for it?
Are we using our assets to increase joy in our lives and invest in a better future for ourselves, our families, mankind and our planet or are we wasting our resources and living on credit card debt, mortgaging our future? This is an energy and environmental question as well as a financial one as the concept of opportunity cost is not just relevant to economics.
People have always consumed as much as they could and polluted with wild abandon. In an underpopulated world with minimal technical abilities, this was not a problem. Since we now have overpopulation as well as the technical ability to pollute on a massive scale, we need to start being smart about what we do, not stop doing. As Bruce said "step back and look at the big picture" and then see where you fit in.
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| Wow, Bruce... I've actually never agreed with you more!
As far as heating costs go, Bikram yoga is like the least green thing ever. But in the big picture... what is the value of a human life? If everyone did Bikram yoga, how much more attuned would we be to our surroundings? I've seen people go through some real lifestyle changes after starting Bikram yoga - they start biking more, they start eating less meat - and those are all things that work in favor of the environment. Maybe I'm just rationalizing, but I think that if everyone did Bikram yoga and cut out some of the other unhealthy and non-environmentally friendly crap in their lifestyles, we'd end up on the plus side!
Also? It seriously CAN'T be worse for the environment than those mega warehouse-sized gyms that blast the air conditioning 24-7, even in the middle of the winter!
And also, there's a natural built-in incentive for Bikram studios to minimize their heat useage, since they want to keep their heating bill as low as possible! The same cannot be said for many businesses.
From a mathematical standpoint, the way to reduce YOUR personal carbon footprint at Bikram is to invite lots of other people to come practice with you, so that you are always in a packed room. Then (made up number alert here) instead of using 10 tons of fuel to heat the room for 5 people (2 tons each), you'll be using 10 tons of fuel to heat the room for 50 people (0.2 tons each). Much more environmentally friendly! Same principle as car-pooling or taking the bus.  |
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| It takes also less fuel to heat a room full of people than an empty room because the people are producing and giving off heat as well.
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| While Bikram may be be bad in the far as the energy needed to heat it. All studios regardless of style are bad for the environment. The fact that we all use any kind of mat that is not natural is bad, The rubber in mats (recycled or not) is super bad for the environment. Even recycled there is oil needed to recycle them. Cork is becoming increasingly rare and the Bamboo and wood used in most yoga studio kills much needed plants.
You are damned if you do, your damned if you don't.
That being said, there are studios that are switching to radiant heating, which takes a fourth of the power needed to heat a room. They also do not produce any gases when used. They are the most like the sun you can get. I personally use them (I am not a Bikram studio, but do heat my room to 90 degrees) and my power costs are far less then most my Bikram studio owner friends. I have also considers putting solar panels on my roof but it is simply not cost effective at this time. |
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| Heating is not automatically damaging to the environment. There are many alternatives to using fossil fuels to heat a room. In my area, the local energy company offers a program where you can get all of your household energy needs from green sources for a small additional fee. My family participates in this program, so if I wanted to heat my house to 105 in the winter and pay the extra costs, it would all be green energy. This type of option is now available in many regions, and it is the studio owners' choice, not the students'. I have not done the math, but even assuming a conventional energy source, I suspect that the carbon footprint of heat in the room is much, much less than all of the transportation the students use to get to class.
Also, it is important to remember that the earth can reabsorb some amount of carbon dioxide--the goal is to bring our collective consumption into the range that the system can tolerate, not to eliminate every possible use of energy in our lives, which is impossible anyway. All of us will have some areas of our lifestyle that use energy--but we can make other choices to offset our energy usage, like bicycle commuting, working from home, using energy efficient appliances, etc., etc.
Ferret |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | THANK YOU Brian!!! YES, Bikram is VERY bad for the environment. I've gotten to the point where I don't even heat my room except in the winter when it is cold and I don't heat it up past the average normal heating range. You don't have to have heat to do this series of yoga. Of course, I didn't think this way in the beginning, I had to evolve to this point. So, having that said, I did my own BAD contribution for the environment too...God please forgive me for my ignorance!!!  |
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| One of the studios I used to practice at had a lot of green initiatives. They had info about it on their website, but now their website is being rebuilt, so it's not there anymore. Some of the things I remember - the didn't sell plastic water bottles (like aquafina or vitamin water or the like) - instead, they sold stainless steel water bottles and had a sink that had filtered water in the lobby (with a high tap so water bottles fit under it). No paper-towel in the changerooms, instead there was this crazy air dryer thing that actually dried your hands in about 2 seconds. There was some sort of heating system that pulled in air from outside and used water to heat it. Biodegradable soap at the sinks and body wash in the showers. It was nice that they tried to make a difference with small things throughout the studio. |
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| jtho - 2010-03-11 10:38 AM
No paper-towel in the changerooms, instead there was this crazy air dryer thing that actually dried your hands in about 2 seconds.
Paper is made out of trees that are specifically planted to later harvest for paper production. While those trees are growing, they are consuming large amounts of carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. If it weren't for the paper, these trees would not exist as no one can afford to plant whole plantations of trees for nothing.
The "crazy air dryer" may be using a lot of energy whose generation caused a lot of pollution and greenhouse gasses or it's manufacture may have been very polluting or the materials that it is made of were polluting in their mining and processing.
Building dams on rivers produces huge amounts of clean energy but also disrupts the environment.
None of this is as simple as many people think. There are significant trade offs with every choice that we make. All we can do is try to educate ourselves as best we can and understand that we are dealing with something (the environment) that is far more complex than our understanding. The environment is also something that is constantly changing and evolving, albeit slower on it's own than with the human involvement of the last couple hundred years.
Edited by jimg 2010-03-11 2:44 PM
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| Any indoor swimming pool probably uses 100X the energy of a bikram yoga studio. It's good to keep things in perspective.
Ferret |
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| Although a lot of energy is expended to heat a Bikram studio, at least it is expended for a dozen or so people at the same time, so a yoga studio is like a car-pool.
I agree with many of the posts, that you have to look at the big picture, and the picture is very, very big. Just imagine how much energy is wasted in wars, or how much energy goes into the entire ecosystem of entertainment. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 574
| Remember the big picture is an accumilation of many small things together. If we all tread more softly on the earth and only use heating when necessary (unless its from solar power) and do more simple,small meaningful things then the environment wont be suffering as much as it is now.
Years ago when I did Bikram, I used to do it outside even in the freezing cold of winter (inspired by yogis in the himalayan snowy mountains and bikram) and it was certainly far more pleasant/beneficial then a sweaty smelly room.
All our big problems stem from an accumilation of little things, whether emotional,physical,mental or environmental.
Come on guys, I know we may go against years of bad habits, but use your imagination and common sense, get solar power or turn of unnecessary heating.Lets care for our mother earth, ourselves, and the young!
Also it will save you money!!!!!!! |
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| I'm producing some BAN BIKRAM bumper stickers as we speak. |
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| What if the heat is the only thing that makes this practice work ? And ive searched all my life to find something that relieves the pain in my body. Am i a bad person for doing bikram ? When i used to smoke i never through my butts on the ground. Nor have i ever littered.. I always choose to lesson my carbon foot print. I walk to work and to the studio. What other choice do i have.. Be in pain or practice bikram. Am i a bad person ?
What can we do to make this practice economically friendly ?
If there is a way i would love to be part of the solution. |
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| We are not "good" or "bad" based on our carbon footprint! We are good or bad based on the totality of our lives, whether we have made a positive difference or a negative difference; whether we have added health, love and compassion to the world or have added disease, hate and greed. Are we increasing prosperity (mental and physical), health, open mindedness, knowledge and understanding or are we increasing the opposite?
Whether Bikram makes a positive or a negative carbon footprint is not as important as whether Bikram is adding more than it is taking away in total.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 574
| Dont worry yourselves. Bikram has the money to make all his official studios solar powered from an eco power provider. Perhaps we should make a petition to Bikram to sort it out?
Or aerobic activity can also provide body heat from inside. Possibly with warm clothing too? Paying attention and becoming more aware of what you do is infinitly more potent than the heat in hot yoga for improving.
There are many things that can relieve pain other than bikram yoga too. It can be powerful to be selfish if it is compassionate to the environment .But to be selfish with disregard to the environment is another matter. |
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Member
Posts: 17
| If you believe Bikram is not good for the environment, then I recommend you not participate in it.
As Bikram would say, "Good for you!"
Edited by psimmons 2010-04-02 9:15 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Uppsala, Sweden | And what if people would stop farting in the open air. Instead we could collect it all and reuse it as biogas fuel (renewable methane & hydrogen)...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogas
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16902-bug-eats-electricity-farts-biogas.html
But unfortunately, not all people produce methane (and hydrogen)... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatulence |
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| Wow, this only goes to reinforce the idea that most everyone in the greater yoga world has that Bikram Yoga people tend towards ignorance, denial and reckless consumerism. I have had several Bikram teachers tell me that it is okay to eat as many big macs as you want because it is 'offset' by doing Bikram Yoga. What?!?!?! And now people saying that the 'good' one is doing by offering/doing Bikram Yoga offsets any damage that is done to the environment?!?! Seriously...
There are great organizations that I have seen out there who are doing more than just talk about the environment - Green Yoga Association, Moksha Yoga, Jivamukti Yoga and others are totally leading the way while the Bikram Yoga community, as usual, lags behind by mimicing the "I don't care because Bikram doesn't care" mentality. Fortunately, there are some great green leaders in the Bikram Yoga world, but they are often ignored or tolerated in their initiatives and requests for change. It is a real change. I maintain that Bikram Yoga as a whole is helping a lot of people in many ways, but is a massive burden to the environment as a whole. Such a shame... |
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Member
Posts: 17
| hotyogafanatic...not sure your catching the point. I'm all for "green". In that regard, I advocate EVERYONE do Bikram...the classes will be more packed...so more bodies means more heat!
My perception of this thread is similar to the concept of "everything in moderation"...when you take anything to an extreme...you loose.
Example: Sure, there is a "cost" or "carbon footprint" to Bikram. There is a carbon footprint to everything. And I agree its good for us all to be mindful of our activities.
You say "I maintain that Bikram Yoga as a whole is helping a lot of people in many ways, but is a massive burden to the environment as a whole. Such a shame..."
Perhaps you can elaborate on the phrase "massive burden to the environment as a whole"
Let me ask this: Do you use a car? Do you have heating in your home? Do you share a home with at least 1 of not more other families? Do you have electricity in this home? Running water? Carpet? Plastic cups? Do you have more than one pair of shoes? Shorts?
Of course the list goes on.
If your answer to the above is no to all...good for you...continue to lead by example. But would you not agree that if the answer to even one of the above is yes...then perhaps your being a bit hypocritical?
I submit there is not an easy answer to the question posed by this thread. Its easy to say “be green”...sure...it is...but rhetoric is one thing...the impact is another.
Lets try it this way...every new birth is a new “carbon footprint for life”. So kids are bad in this regard. They need clothes, food, etc.
But kids are important...ask Japan/France...they would love to have many more kids...their economy is in dire straits due to low birth rates over last 20 plus years.
So, are kids good or bad for the environment? The Country? The world? I submit there is no easy answer.
How about consumerism? Bad correct...heck, what a huge carbon footprint is associated with that word. But is it really all bad? Ask the clerk from your local retail or manufacturing company in the US who has been laid off and can not find a job.
My point is that there are not easy answers...and those who claim they are, in my opinion need to be challenged.
SO, back to bikram. I find bikram works well for me. It helps keep me in shape, has helped change how I spend my “non-yoga” time for the better...in ways that other types of yoga I have tried have not. So I do bikram. I also have electicity in my home, more than 1 pair of shoes (if you count sandals as shoes), etc.
Is it a good idea to discuss how to best heat a bikram studio? You bet. But when I hear the argument that persons should not do bikram due to heat...well, imho, that is just plain silly.
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| I can guarante that cows farting produce more greenhouse gases then all the Bikram yoga studios combined.
Bikram yoga does not make you good or bad. You being good or bad is simply a concept in your mind. |
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Veteran
Posts: 149
| yeah psimmons!!!!!!! could not have said it better |
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Uppsala, Sweden | I think solar powered yoga shalas is a nice idea. You could of course also use biofuel for the heating of any kind of sauna... or shala. Or you could find other ways/businesses to "offset" more carbon than you produce. If you can do it for your sauna, I'm sure it's possible for a Bikram studio, or any kind of yoga school.
http://bestinfraredsaunas.org/
http://www.carbonfund.org/blog/about-us/crystal-sauna/
http://www.carbonfreesauna.com/
However, there are other things that might be even more effective for yogis/yoginis who wish to help reduce the global warming threat by minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
Ashtangis for instance, should carefully consider if going by airplane to Mysore, maybe as often as once a year, is really necessary, since any air travel always leaves a relatively large "carbon footprint". The jetset population is a rather small number of usually very rich people who fly a lot more - like incomprehensibly much more - than ordinary people. So, a better question might be if the inequality (of income/wealth) is not the primary problem?
Commuting to work, the yoga studio, etc, by car - maybe many miles every day - is another example. And if you really need a car, what kind of car is it, and how do you use it? Is living in suburbia a sustainable way of life if it means that most middle class people always need a car to get around?
Proper insulation and heating of buildings, regardless of their use, is probably way up on the list. And so is eating less meat.
My conclusion is that changing society, towards more equality (as well as worldwide economic democracy) and a better "climate-friendly" infrastructure, is just as (or maybe a lot more) important than changing your own life style, or style of yoga. |
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Is Bikram good for the environment?
