Occupational therapy and environmental sustainability

Occupation in Natural Environments; Health Equity and Environmental Justice

“…The neoliberal premise that "human activity is negotiated, chosen and performed by individuals" (Aoyama et al, 2012, p. 214, emphasis added), and that "humans have to, and are able to, change their thinking, ethics and lifestyles" (Persson & Erlandsson, 2014, p. 20, emphasis added) has informed the occupational therapy profession. Accordingly, individuals have been exhorted to change and adapt their occupational patterns and behaviors, and to make more sustainable and "reflected" (Persson & Erlandsson, 2014) occupational and lifestyle choices (e.g., Aoyama, 2014;Aoyama et al, 2012;Hocking and Kroksmark, 2013;Hudson and Aoyama, 2008;Ikiugu et al, 2015;Ikiugu and McCollister, 2011;Whittaker, 2012). Such presumptions and practices ignore the structural and environmental inequities that disproportionately impact the health, wellbeing, and horizons of occupational possibility for people marginalized through poverty, racism, class exclusion, colonialism, and other mechanisms of exclusion (Masuda et al, 2010).…”

“…Scientific evidence makes clear that human occupations are major contributors to climate change, ecosystem degradation, and loss of biodiversity (Aoyama et al, 2012;Simó Algado, 2012), prompting some occupational therapy scholars to explore the implications for occupational participation and professional practices (e.g., Aoyama, 2014;Drolet et al, 2019;Hocking & Kroksmark, 2013;Pereira, 2009;Persson & Erlandsson, 2014;Simó Algado & Townsend, 2015;Townsend, 2015;Wagman, 2014;Whittaker, 2012). Aoyama and colleagues (2012) have challenged the occupational therapy assumption that occupational engagement inevitably supports human wellbeing; noting that human occupations have now impacted the planet to such a degree that the ability of the ecosystem to support wellbeing is imperiled.…”

Occupational stewardship: Advancing a vision of occupational justice and sustainability

“…Hocking and Kroksmark (2013) argued that an occupational perspective is the missing theoretical link in the relationship between human well-being and the ecosystem, and has the potential to generate new insights into changing human's occupations to benefit the earth. Others are championing an occupational perspective for its potential to promote resilience and sustainability by promoting change in patterns of occupation and achieving occupational objectives in a sustainable manner, toward a vision of environmentally sustainable, inclusive and healthy societies (Aoyama, 2014;Hocking & Kroksmark, 2013;Pereira, 2009;Wagman, 2014).…”

La bioéthique selon Van Rensselaer Potter : une perspective pertinente à la réflexion ergothérapique contemporaine

“…La réflexion en ergothérapie ainsi que dans les sciences occupationnelles, consacrée à la durabilité écologique et aux pratiques durables de la profession, a plus spécifiquement été initiée en 1997 par Do Rozario (3). Avec la documentation croissante des changements climatiques à l'échelle mondiale et ses effets sur la santé des populations (4), les enjeux environnementaux suscitent de plus en plus de réflexions en ergothérapie (5,6), notamment dans les écrits anglophones (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18). Par l'entremise de la présentation de trois arguments, nous visons spécifiquement à répondre à la question suivante : pourquoi les ergothérapeutes -peu importe leur environnement professionnel (réseau de la santé et des services sociaux, milieux de l'éducation, de la recherche ou communautaire, etc.)…”