There is only one solution to single use plastic: GOVERNMENT PLEASE BAN THEM. wouldn’t that just make all of our lives simpler? In the meantime waiting for that kind of right action we are all still having to make choices about our consumption habits and/or what to do with the flow of single use plastics into our households. Always an issue and we personally have much to be ashamed about in not acting sooner but since last October this has been a priority focus in our household so much so that some days I feel like I spend all day making decisions about plastic! We have a long way to go yet. If you are one who cares then you will know this can be overwhelming (my latest wobbly on this front when the phone directory arrived covered in plastic and yes I did something about it). We know where we are at on our climate change issue journey but we don’t know where you are at in this dilemma and we do not propose to preach but we imagine many of you would LOVE not to have to be making such decisions (i.e. have the choice removed); so in one aspect of your lives we thought we would make it SIMPLER FOR YOU and declare Yoga Matters a ‘single use bottle free zone’ (Bikram always said one of our biggest problems in the west was too much choice {“Lock the Knee ~ No Choice” 😉 } . So now you don’t have to make this choice because WE WILL NOT BE SELLING BOTTLED WATER ANY MORE FOLKS! Many practitioners have their own reusable bottle already so it will not be a problem for most. HERE IS HOW IT WILL ROLL AT YM RE: WATER + BOTTLES + YOU:
- You HAVE TO HAVE WATER WITH YOU in your Bikram Yoga class. This has never been optional; it has always been declared on our website and flyers that pre-hydration and water supplies for class are a pre-requisite for admittance
- You HAVE TO HAVE YOUR OWN i.e. YOU CANNOT SHARE WITH ANOTHER PRACTITIONER
- BRING YOUR OWN WATER WITH YOU. We are not the ‘single use plastic police’ so if you choose to buy single use plastic bottle water before you come into YM you will not be judged; that is YOUR business BUT it will also be YOUR responsibility to TAKE THE EMPTY AWAY WITH YOU. We just don’t have the resources to deal with other people’s plastic responsibilities (and we are sure you will agree that is not what you are paying us for 😉 ~ we have our own ‘plastic’ conscience to deal with hence stopping selling bottles).
- IF YOU FORGET YOUR WATER BOTTLE we will keep spare re-usables at the Rue De Funchal studio for you to fill up at the water tap in the ‘Change’ room. HOWEVER, please note folks THIS SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION rather than a normal habit. Ideally you will BRING YOUR OWN BOTTLE with your own water for your own consumption. Please don’t develop the ‘habit’ of forgetting your own filled bottle every time. If you do use one of our re-usables you will not be allowed to take it away after class with you for your continued hydration (another incentive for your to bring your own).
- IF YOU FORGET TO BRING YOUR OWN WATER BUT HAVE YOUR OWN EMPTY BOTTLE and want to fill up at the studio PLEASE understand our tap water is not filtered by us but is treated and tested by Jersey Water. We make no claims as to suitability or otherwise for drinking (you can check Jersey Water website). It is your choice to use it and if you do then you should fill your bottle up PRIOR to class. Attempts to use room/tap during class are noisy and disruptive therefore do not use tap during class or Savasana.
- PLEASE REMEMBER. BRING YOUR OWN WATER our class start time and space will not cope with people queuing just prior to class to fill their water bottle in a room that‘s primary purpose is a changing room. We really only expect to see brand new practitioners who didn’t know better filling up at their first class or a regular practitioner who ‘forgot’ as a one off.
- Ultimately, it is and has always been your responsibility to ensure you come to class hydrated and bring your own adequate water supplies to last the class duration.
We sold water primarily for others convenience (it is also a small revenue stream that would pay a few studio bills) but we cannot accommodate a convenience that is damaging our planet; we were awake to this problem but clearly not awake enough because we should have done this sooner, shame on us. Sorry we didn’t do it sooner. Sorry Yogis. Sorry future generations. Sorry Mother Earth.
DEAR YOGIS. NAMASTE. PLEASE HELP US TO MAKE THIS WORK.
Trisha & Darren
11 May 2019