Green Badge - Green Practice
Consideration of the environment is integral to occupational therapy interventions, yet if we are not addressing acknowledging the issue of climate change and the probable impacts on clients and ourselves, are we being truly holistic?
In January 2009 the NHS published its carbon reduction strategy to meet necessary 2010 targets. Drawn up by the NHS Sustainable Development Unit, the plan focuses on three key areas of reduction – building energy use, travel and procurement.
By starting to make simple, practical changes in practice, OTs in all their settings can make a telling contribution to the NHS strategy. This could include looking for carbon-friendly sources of food used for cooking activities. OTs could also explore opportunities to inform clients about water and energy consumption and conservation. And at a more strategic level, OTs involved in decisions about the procurement of equipment, could ask questions about where is it manufactured and how ethically it is made.
Linking sustainable development with occupational therapy is simply common sense, and clients can only benefit from our incorporation of a sustainable healthful approach to practice. Common activities already used by OTs with clients such as gardening, cooking, needlework can all be viewed as ‘sustainable’ activities’; and are known to promote psycho-emotional well being, often resulting in ‘peak’ or ‘flow’ experiences.
The immediate general benefits to clients are likely to include better health awareness, cost savings and improved quality of life.
What is happening now?
The emerging ‘Green OT’ network is already in train, working with Centre for Sustainable Healthcare to communicate the issues and links to OT with the COT.
By sharing resources and ideas, these therapists have been exploring how to move forward with the sustainable ‘Green OT’ project, and discussing opportunities for getting COT on board. A proposal has been submitted to the COT that a public statement be developed on the urgency of sustainable development to the profession. Additionally, we aim to issue a statement on behalf of OTs on the importance of a strong international agreement at the Copenhagen climate negotiations in December 09.
In partnership with Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, OT educators are exploring the opportunities for introducing sustainable development and climate change into OT qualifications. Plans are afoot for a study day to be held on ‘The Art of Sustainable Living’.
Clearly the health and future of our society will be shaped by the effects of climate change and the transformation to a low carbon society. Occupational therapy will need to evolve to ensure its relevance in the context of inevitable upheaval. We feel strongly that occupational therapists can make a telling contribution to building sustainable communities – both through our practice, grounded in our holistic models that consider the environment integral to well-being, and through our example.
See the latest Green OT blog post on the Sustainable Healthcare site.
I’m an OT - what can I do?
With service users
- Model sustainable behaviours in all your interventions
- Establish a ‘Green Living Skills’ OT group
- Through dialogue and active listening, seek opportunities to raise clients’ awareness of the benefits of sustainable lifestyle choices
- By seeing the whole person, distinct from illness and with valid roles, tap into clients’ sustainable development knowledge, skills and attitudes to build your own capacity and facilitate active partnership within the therapeutic relationship
Within your setting/dept
- Get your MDT colleagues involved and set up a ‘green’ reps group in your department
- In partnership with stakeholders, service users and colleagues develop a sustainability policy in your setting/dept/community
- Use CPD as a vehicle for exploring sustainable development
- Carry out sustainable development audit/ research /pilot study activities in order to transform service provision in your setting
- Engage your managers in dialogue regarding the sustainability of equipment, media, and other resources procured for the service
- Work with colleagues to develop understanding that good OT is sustainable OT and therefore sustainable OT is good OT
Within your organisation
- If there is one, join the environmental steering group at the organisation and introduce colleagues to the holistic values of OT and their significance to the sustainability agenda
- If no environmental steering group exists at the organisation explore avenues to establish one
- Explore opportunities for addressing the three key areas of the Sustainable Development Unit’s carbon reduction strategy
And...
- Contact the Chief Executive of the College of Occupational Therapists and request that the College get on board with a sustainable statement for the profession
- Join the Sustainable Occupational Therapy Network (OTSusNet)
