Yogi Peace Club

"We love to support Carbon Positive Australia as they are an Australian-based charity restoring Australian land with Australian plants. The Carbon Calculator makes it so much easier for us to track our footprint and to see where our donations are going."
Our Carbon Hero for September is Yogi Peace Club, an amazing ethical and sustainable based brand based in Victoria that has supported us in every step of our work. We sat down with Emma Barr, owner of the brand, to find out why caring for the environment is so important to her and the team.
 

Can you tell us a little about yourself and the inspirations behind your brand?
My name is Emma, and I am the owner of Yogi Peace Club, a yoga brand based near Bells Beach on Surfcoast just outside of Torquay Victoria. I founded Yogi Peace Club seven years ago with the intention to create quality eco yoga products that make people happy & inspire their practice. This is still our focus today; we work with yogis to create beautiful eco products for yogis.

Our designs are tested on yoga teachers. We use premium and long-lasting fabrications, and we do the best we can in terms of being a conscious brand in terms of sustainability with an ethical supply chain. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Why is caring for the environment important to Yogi Peace Club?
The YPC team are so lucky to be based in the beautiful coastal town of Torquay/Bells Beach. We spend so much time outdoors in nature walking the Bells Beach track and surfing in the beautiful ocean. Nature gives so much to us, and we find it so important to do our part to care for it & give back to mother nature where we can. Through initiatives including supporting great charities like Carbon Positive Australia, investing in more sustainable packaging options, and creating recycled and sustainable products that reduce our footprint on mother nature.

“Humans and trees share some amazing similarities; we breathe in
oxygen and exhale, while trees breathe in carbon dioxide and exhale
oxygen.”

 

What motivates you to support Carbon Positive Australia’s work in particular?
We love to support Carbon Positive Australia as they are an Australian-based charity restoring Australian land with Australian plants. The Carbon Calculator makes it so much easier for us to track our footprint and to see where our donations are going.

Are there any other green initiatives that your organisation is working on?
YPC is continuously researching and investing in green initiatives to ensure we can make our products as sustainable as possible. We have recently updated all of our packaging, our mats come in cardboard packaging that can be recycled, our stationery is all printed on card made from recycled coffee cups & our mailing bags are compostable!

Do you have any environmental goals that you would like to achieve? If yes, how and by when?
We are always working towards the goal of minimising our brands environmental impact. We know that no one is perfect, and there are always areas we can improve, but we are constantly trying to learn, grow & make greener changes where possible.

What would you say is the relationship between yoga and nature? Or how would you describe the relationship between yoga and nature?
Yoga and nature are so deeply connected. Yoga helps to create stillness, connection, as does nature. Without having a relationship with nature, you can’t have a relationship with yourself. Yoga teaches us that we are all connected and can’t have one without the other. The fundamental purpose of yoga is to foster harmony in the body, mind, and environment.

How can we use the practice of yoga as a way for caring for the environment too?
We can use the practice of yoga to find a deep connection to ourselves, and by doing this, we realise that we are all intrinsically connected on the earth. There is no denying that as humans, we are part of nature, and we must care and nurture our planet as for ourselves, or our children.

By focusing on the body, breath, and mind, we create a connection, and from this connection, there is a deeper awareness of our own energy – our prana, or life force – which, over time, we can come to realise is the same life force within all living beings and the environment we live in.

“Breathing is consciously is the essence of yoga, and the practice
shares positive impacts on our wellbeing, as do trees in the fact they
both heal, soothe, and restore.”

How can we make more sustainable choices when it comes to our choices in yoga apparel and accessories?
You can make more sustainable choices when it comes to yoga apparel and accessories by taking the time to do your research and educate yourself on yoga brand offerings. There is so much information available, with lots of brands choosing to make the switch to sustainable yoga products. A lot of yoga mats contain PVC, which is a toxic plastic that is just as bad for the environment as it is for your body. Our YPC mats are all proudly PVC-free and made from recycled plastics and natural rubber, making them better for the environment and your body.

What do you love about the practice of yoga?
I practice yoga every day. It may just be a few sun salutations, but on most days, I try and get to class. Yoga is more than the physical asana; it is about gratitude, acceptance, kindness, and doing good to others which is the way I try and live my life. I simply can’t live my life without yoga and feel so grateful to have it as a stable part of my life.

What is your mantra?
That’s an easy question!….. “do what makes you happy”. As John Lennon once said, “life is what happens when you are busy making plans.” Live your life and enjoy the journey.

 

Yoga pose outside beach Yoga Pose on Mat woman yoga pose
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