Environmental sustainability – What role does occupational therapy have to play?

Tenelle Hodson

In 2023, we have become accustomed to extreme weather events regularly occurring within Australia. From bush fires, to floods, to drought, Australians are no stranger to such events. During the Climate Change Panel at OTA’s 30th National Conference and Exhibition, we heard from Yessie Mosby, a Torres Strait Islander man, who brought to attention the impact rising sea levels are having on everyday life in the Torres Strait Islands. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC; 2021) has now established that human activity (or occupations) has directly contributed to the frequency and intensity of such events and experiences through climate change.

As occupational therapists we can proudly state that we are the “experts” in occupation. Our conceptual practice models clearly delineate how occupations are the bridge between humans and the environment. This relationship is bi-directional, with the environment impacting the occupations individuals can participate in and individuals impacting on the environment through occupations. Due to this knowledge, it is suggested that occupational therapists are well positioned to help people to adapt their occupations to reduce the impact on the environment. Additionally, we can also help people to adapt their occupations after they have been impacted by climate change events.

As humans, we need to change the way occupations are engaged in to ensure that future generations have the same occupational opportunities that we enjoy today. Occupational therapists can draw upon core skills such as occupational analyses to critically analyse how occupations are engaged in and how they could be completed in a way that reduces the use of fossil fuels. This can be completed on an individual or community level.

Starting at an individual level, we can look at our own personal lives to grow skills in identifying opportunities to live life in a more sustainable manner. If, and when appropriate, we could transfer these skills when working with individuals. Potentially starting with asking whether environmental sustainability is something important in an individual’s life and whether they would like environmental sustainability integrated into therapeutic plans. When working with groups and communities, occupational analyses can again be used to identify ways for collective occupations to be completed in a more sustainable manner.

In our recent research (Seville et al., 2023), it was identified that occupational therapists practicing in Australia do see the potential for occupational therapy to contribute to matters of environmental sustainability but are not entirely sure how to do so. This is understandable as it is an emerging area of practice. There are some important factors that need to be considered though. For instance, occupational therapists who participated in our survey research flagged that discussing climate change issues with people experiencing severe mental health conditions may not be appropriate. This is well justified, with climate anxiety being something that is occurring more and more, especially in younger generations.

The issue of climate change can seem overwhelming, and it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily for us, resources are starting to be developed for occupational therapists to use to integrate environmental sustainability into practice. OTA is developing a range of resources, guided by the OTs in Action – Climate Change Action Group. Occupational therapists are encouraged to look out for initiatives developed by the group as they are distributed and incorporate those that might be applicable to their own lives and practice. If occupational therapists are interested in joining the action group, they are welcome to contact OTA. The World Federation of Occupational Therapists also has a number of resources, with the Sustainability Matters: Guiding Principles for Sustainability in Occupational Therapy Practice, Education and Scholarship (2018) being a great place to start. Likewise, the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, based in the United Kingdom, also provides a range of resources for occupational therapists.

About the author: Dr Tenelle Hodson is a lecturer in the Discipline of Occupational Therapy at Griffith University. She has supervised two research student projects that have focused on the relationship between occupational therapy and environmental sustainability. Additionally, she has collaborated with colleagues in the USA on matters of environmental sustainability and how it relates to occupational therapy.

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