tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post4500146919158557649..comments2024-03-15T04:58:53.198-04:00Comments on ABC Therapeutics Occupational Therapy Weblog: Environmental sustainability and occupational therapy practiceChristopher J. Alteriohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489464791931315291noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-52852401309382015402015-12-11T08:39:26.677-05:002015-12-11T08:39:26.677-05:00Hi Amber,
I am afraid that my ideas about sustain...Hi Amber,<br /><br />I am afraid that my ideas about sustainability within an occupational therapy context are unchanged. I am not personally opposed to science-based interest in conservation related to the environment in general, but I remain deeply opposed to using concepts like 'sustainability' to advance world socialism and partisan economic philosophies that restrict human freedom.<br /><br />In either case, neither has much of a place in occupational therapy practice, in my opinion. The proper role of occupational therapy is to help people who have problems that impede their ability to live their lives. It is not the role of occupational therapy to be a vehicle for social justice warriors who may want to save the planet. <br /><br />I understand that some folk are misleading students and even older practitioners into some new definition of the profession that involves OT as a force for leveling the planetary playing field through control of resources - and I am sorry if you have been exposed to or accidentally swayed by that line of very incorrect thinking.<br /><br />A couple articles were linked above from the National Association of Scholars. They are a good place to begin if you have been accidentally exposed to this content in your academic training.<br /><br />ChrisChristopher J. Alteriohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09489464791931315291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-39116438611488321882015-12-11T01:17:29.055-05:002015-12-11T01:17:29.055-05:00Christopher, I find your blog on the ecological o...Christopher, I find your blog on the ecological occupational therapist intriguing. I am an active OT and am currently researching effective lower carbon treatment options and would like to know whether sustainable health and well-being in OT is increasing in value. It's been three years since you wrote this blog. Has your implementation of interventions evolved towards sustainable practice? If not, would you still consider it? If so, what information would you need to help you successfully implement sustainable practice into your interventions and daily work regimen? Thank you, I appreciate your response.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13558644446671471343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-78340274571002973772013-07-11T14:25:28.536-04:002013-07-11T14:25:28.536-04:00I recently attended a weeklong sustainability /agi...I recently attended a weeklong sustainability /aging in place institute fo community colleges instructors. I was the only OT in the group. The rest were engineers, architects and interior designers. I came away confused after seeing a few lectures on green bathroom design featuring curb less showers, wet rooms and institutional bars ( often installed at a height that necessitated awkward shoulder abduction for the user to reach the bar). I came away with the strong notion that as OTs we can do a small bit for the planet ( and people's pocketbooks and safety) by getting out of the medical world and into the greater community and communicationg low tech/ relatively inexpensive solutions to home accessibility. Of course this is a "drop in the bucket" but I am concerned about people making massive remodels unnecessarily...in the interest of progress and hauling loads of their house to the dump in the name of sustainability and progress.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Carol Gauper OTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-90042805217687925742013-01-24T20:15:13.006-05:002013-01-24T20:15:13.006-05:00Dr. Alterio,
Sustainability is the newest fad i...Dr. Alterio,<br /> Sustainability is the newest fad in academia. Before this it was social justice. Before that it was diversity. A mindless string of pretty words are great on a college campus - who will be against them: only the mean, bad people, of course, just like the mean, bad people are the ones who are against social justice and diversity. <br /><br /> I am willing to wager that the Ethics Commission will try to put in a sustainability requirement in the Code of Ethics next time around.<br /><br /> The National Association of Scholars has criticized this movement - here are a couple of articles you may find interesting<br />take care<br />Alex<br /><br />http://www.nas.org/articles/Critiquing_Sustainability<br /><br />http://www.nas.org/articles/abundance_on_trial_the_cultural_significance_of_sustainability<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com