For the last six months, I’ve been reporting for San Francisco Magazine and Yoga Journal on sustainable living. I’ve spoken with so many environmental architects, scientists, and activists, I can hardly remember a time when I took flippant road trips to clear my head, and I didn’t know what peak oil meant. It has been humbling learning from the people trying to re-balance our earth, but one of the most inspirational parts of the reporting has been realizing that yogis &mdash with our extra-sensitivity to toxic environments &mdash seem to be at the forefront of the green movement, especially those in the Bay Area. Take Ashtanga instructor David Lurey. This past week I visited him at his San Francisco studio, and he seemed to know as much about sustainable architecture as any of the professional experts I've spoken with have. While giving me a tour of his backyard studio (converted from an old shed), Lurey showed me how he used non-toxic paint, bamboo flooring, recycled blue jean insulation, bamboo window shades, double-paned windows (for optimal insulation), a radiant heating system, and light dimmers to make a low-impact and chemical free teaching space. Lurey was also up to date on some of the environmental myths about green architecture: one of them being that you need to buy expensive solar panels to make a significant impact on a building's carbon footprint. Lurey knew that installing proper insulation and sealing leaking ducts can reduce a building’s energy use by more than 50 percent, more than a lot of solar systems. He also knew that most of the electricity we Californians waste comes from leaving appliances — computers, cell phones, TV’s, toasters — plugged in while they’re not on. (That problem can be avoided by buying a smart power strip.) “People look to yogis as examples of a healthy life,” Lurey told me, “so I think we can really be leaders of environmental change.” After meeting Lurey, and other Bay Area yogis like him, I'm beginning to really believe that. To learn more about how you can make your studio or home eco-friendly, check out the Green Yoga Association, yet another Bay Area phenomenon.