Look What You Helped Us Do!

One of our core beliefs is that we want to leave the earth a better place than we found it, so we give back to the earth with every product that we sell. 2019 was a big year for our give back programs. Here are some of the highlights:

302,633 trees planted, bringing our total to 2,000,000!

Our partnership with Trees for the Future began in 2006, since Jade mats come from trees, we decided to give back by planting a tree with every mat that we sell. Trees for the Future works to improve the livelihoods of impoverished farmers by revitalizing degraded lands. We lose trees at a rate of 50 soccer fields per minute as our food systems destroy our ecosystems. Most of this degradation occurs in the developing tropics of Africa, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia where hundreds of millions of chronically-hungry, smallholder farming families use destructive and short-sighted agricultural practices that further degrade their communities trees, soil, water and biodiversity, making them even more likely to migrate and more vulnerable to the climate changes that lie ahead.

Trees for the Future identifies a group of farmers—typically 300 families at a time —who have both a great need for assistance and a high likelihood of success.  Farmers provide the land, labor, and water; a powerful, entrepreneurial determination; and an inspiring sense of ownership. 

TREES provides training, mentoring, seeds, and nursery supplies for each family. They guide the large groups of farmers through the process of using trees to protect, diversify, and eventually optimize their crop land. Trees for the Future continues working with farmers for the four years it takes to fully establish the Forest Garden, offering ongoing coaching and regular site visits. To find out more please visit https://trees.org/

635 acres of rainforest preserved

Through our partnership with the Rainforest Trust, we are able to preserve 2,000 sq ft of rainforest with every cork yoga block that we sell. The Rainforest Trust purchases and protects the most threatened tropical forests, saving endangered wildlife through partnerships and community engagement. Through these highly effective partnerships, they can ensure sustainable results necessary for the long-term protection of tropical ecosystems and the wildlife they hold. Their unique, cost-effective conservation model for protecting endangered species has been implemented successfully for over 30 years.

The Rainforest Trust is committed to providing lasting, on-the-ground protection, which requires the ongoing support and participation of local communities. These communities are engaged through the creation of sustainable economic opportunities for local men and women, including training as fellows, guardians, wildlife monitors and ecotourism guides.

Tropical rainforests affect the daily lives of every person on the planet. Rainforests are one of the most important natural resources left on Earth. They safely store billions of tons of carbon, helping ward off climate change. Tropical forests remain untapped resources for scientific and medical discoveries—a quarter of all medicines are sourced from plants found deep in the rainforests. They are also home to thousands of unique animals that depend on their protection for survival. For more information check out https://www.rainforesttrust.org/

53 tons of carbon offsets

Through our partnership with Terrapass, we offset 25lbs of carbon emissions with every strap that we sell. Terrapass began in 2004 as a way to help everyday people reduce the impact of their driving on climate change. Soon after this, Terrapass expanded to address greenhouse gas emissions from other important sectors, such as flying and energy consumption. Around the same time, they began reaching out to corporations and institutions (such as universities) that wanted to take responsibility for their respective impact on climate change.

Since then, Terrapass has helped more than 1,000 businesses, institutions, and hundreds of thousands of individuals,take responsibility for their impact on the climate. This has resulted in implementation of dozens of renewable energy and greenhouse gas destruction projects that in aggregate have reduced greenhouse gases in our atmosphere equivalent to billions of tons of carbon dioxide. To get more involved, see https://www.terrapass.com/

3,792 bars of soap provided to people in need

Through our partnership with Clean the World, we provide a bar of soap to a person in need with every mat wash that we sell. Clean the World was founded in 2009 to address global health issues by using discarded hygiene supplies from the hospitality industry. Aiming to reduce the number of hygiene-related deaths, they began recycling soap into new bars to distribute to communities in need. Hygiene-related illnesses are among the top two causes of childhood mortality, worldwide. Approximately 3,600 children under the age of five die every day due to respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases that are preventable.

With access to clean water, proper sanitation, and adequate hygiene, morbidity rates can be reduced by 50% or more. In fact, studies show that hand washing with soap and water is the single most effective way to prevent hygiene-related deaths. Please visit https://cleantheworldfoundation.org/

1,453 children in India fed for one week

Through our partnership with the Akshaya Patra Foundation, we provide a week of meals to a child in India with every Mysore yoga rug sold. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an NGO in India headquartered in Bengaluru. They strive to eliminate classroom hunger by implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in the government schools and government-aided schools. Akshaya Patra also aims at countering malnutrition and supporting the right to education of socio-economically disadvantaged children. Providing meals at schools has the added benefit of encouraging kids to go to school who otherwise might not attend school.

Since 2000, Akshaya Patra has been focusing on providing fresh and nutritious meals to children on every single school day. Today, Akshaya Patra is the world’s largest (not-for-profit run) Mid-Day Meal Programme serving wholesome food every school day to over 1.8 million children from 16,856 schools across India. Check them out at https://www.akshayapatra.org/

7,930 people provided with one month of clean and safe drinking water

Through our partnership with the water project, we provide one month of safe and clean drinking water with every yoga towel sold. The Water Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization unlocking human potential by providing reliable water projects to communities in sub-Saharan Africa who suffer needlessly from a lack of access to clean water and proper sanitation.

For ten years, they have been helping communities gain access to clean, safe water by providing training, expertise and financial support for water project construction through their staff and implementing partners. Every day in rural communities throughout sub-Saharan Africa, millions of people suffer from a lack of access to clean, safe water. For school-aged children it's a burden that traps them in poverty. Children often bear the burden of walking miles each day to find water in streams and ponds, full of water-borne disease that is making them and their families sick. Illness and the time lost fetching it robs entire communities of their futures. Access to safe water improves the health of families and children, keeps girls in school, gives people back their time lost collecting water, and empowers the leaders of tomorrow. For additional information, please visit https://thewaterproject.org/

Color Cause Program

Through our color cause program, we donate $5 for every Teal, Pink and Saffron mat that we sell to ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and autism related causes. Organizations that we support include:

Ashrams for Autism: Dedicated to providing yoga in schools and facilities for the autism and special needs community. They firmly believe that yoga can provide the proper tools for self-regulation and empowerment for this population. Please visit https://www.ashrams4autism.org/

National Autism Association NY Metro Chapter: The Mission of the New York Chapter of the National Autism Association is to educate and empower those in the Autism community, never giving up in the search to help affected individuals reach their full potential. For more information visit https://nationalautismny.org/

Incivtus Enterprise Foundation: They provide work readiness and job training programs to individuals on the autism spectrum and support and enable all individuals to reach their full potential. Check them out at https://www.weareinvictus.org/

The Monell Center: Monell is doing some very promising research into early detection of ovarian cancer – which is vital in successful outcomes. This team has managed to train dogs to smell the difference between a drop of blood of someone who has ovarian cancer and someone who does not. The next step is to build a machine using nanotechnology to do what the dogs can do using tubes of carbon that are one atom thick. If they can build this machine the hope is one day that doctors can provide a simple test for ovarian cancer in their office. For more information visit http://www.monell.org/

Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation: The mission of the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation is to fight for those who are fighting, speak for those who have fallen silent and provide for those who are working towards the end of ovarian cancer. This organization provides support and resources for women and their families who have been affected by ovarian cancer. Check them out at https://sandyovarian.org/

Living Beyond Breast Cancer: Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) is dedicated to assisting women, whether they are newly diagnosed, in treatment, recently completed treatment, are years beyond or are living with metastatic breast cancer. They provide breast cancer information and support to family members, caregivers, friends and healthcare providers. As a national education and support organization, their goal is to connect people with trusted breast cancer information and a community of support, regardless of educational background, social support or financial means. Please visit https://www.lbbc.org/

 

Thank you for helping us make such a big impact!