Circle Yoga is a community-based yoga studio with a mission to bring stress reduction to as many adults, children, and families as possible, and to do so within the context of environmental excellence.
Winner of the 2009 DC Mayor’s Environmental Excellence Award
Also in 2009, Circle Yoga received the DC Mayor’s Environmental Award. This award recognizes District businesses and nonprofit organizations for their environmental stewardship, innovative best practices, pollution prevention, and resource conservation. Read more.
The Renovation: An Upgrade for the Neighborhood and the Environment
When we founded Circle Yoga in 2003, we purchased a 1950’s-era building that had been in dangerous disrepair for many years, keeping the original structure and renovating in a way that would improve the environment and the neighborhood. The first photo below shows the building in 2004, after we replaced the original chain link fence but before the major renovations. The second photo shows the building following renovation.
When renovating the building, we focused on creating a space that would be pleasing and relaxing to our students and our neighbors, free from unhealthy elements, and non-toxic to the environment. Our work included:
- Replacing all of the existing casement windows and doors with insulated Low-E casement units
- Using non-toxic Low VOC paint
- Adding a beautiful public-access Zen garden using drought-resistant plantings and a sun trellis on the west side of the building to control temperature and enhance the look of the building
And, in 2009, we converted to solar power, a 100% sustainable energy source that provides much of the power we need for day-to-day operations at the studio.
Lots of Small Steps = Big Impact
Today, we continue to take as many other steps as we can to reduce our environmental impact, including:
- Discouraging the use of bottled water by providing a filtered water cooler where our students can fill their own bottles with freshly filtered tap water. We offer only biodegradable cups, and only upon request.
- Encouraging our employees and students to take public transportation whenever possible –many of our students and employees commute to the studio by foot or bicycle.
- Printing all of our graphics on recycled paper. All of our schedules and brochures are printed at Ecoprint on 100% recycled paper using non-toxic inks.
- Reducing paper waste by using only cloth hand towels in the bathrooms. And nearly all of our paper products—including toilet tissue, facial tissues, folder, and binders—are made from recycled paper.
- Using refurbished computers, rather than buying new.
- Featuring many eco-friendly products in our shop, including bamboo yoga blocks, bamboo and organic clothing, and eco-friendly yoga mats. Our shopping bags are made from 100% recycled paper.
- Cleaning with all-natural products and using all bio-degradable and/or recycled garbage bags.
- Washing mats and towels with a high-efficiency washer and dryer.
- And we aim for “zero waste,” providing separate cans for paper, plastic, and aluminum.
Winner of the 