Coming from a long line of fishermen and ocean-dwellers, I grew up with the underlying values of respecting nature and having compassion for animals. We were raised to “leave nothing behind but your footprints” and to “never take more than you need”, and as I’ve grown up and had children of my own this connection to, and respect for, nature drives my hope to share the beauty and wonder with my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and generations to come. 

Despite this, my knowledge of environmental sustainability was minimal until my daughter was six months old and we started her in swimming lessons. It is there that I met a wonderful, environmentally- conscious family. I got to know this family over years of swimming lessons and, eventually, playdates and was endlessly curious and fascinated about their beliefs and values and, ultimately, their actions and choices. 

Until I met this family, I would never have imagined cleaning with vinegar, lemon juice and bicarb soda, or sending homemade treats in thoughtfully decorated brown paper bags as party favours or even using a reusable coffee cup. It never occurred to me not to put food scraps in the waste bin or to take a reusable bag to the shops but, as I became more educated around environmental sustainability, I started to adopt many of these actions and they became my own personal habits which I then extended into my therapy clinic and practice.

So to celebrate World Earth Day, 2021, I wanted to share some of the sustainable practices I have adopted over the years. However, before I do, I want to say, upfront, that this is not about judgement of others, it is about sharing and inspiring. I acknowledge that it is a journey of “doing better when knowing better” and it is a journey that I am still on myself. I also know that it’s not always feasible to make all the changes straight away.

But I do believe at the very heart of the journey is knowledge and consideration- committing to seeking knowledge about sustainable practice and reminding myself to consider the environment when I make practice decisions. So here they are, some of the things I have implemented in my own practice- I hope they inspire!

1.     Consider purchasing sustainable therapy tools and equipment. 

Plastic therapy tools are understandably enticing as a therapist and practice owner as they are inexpensive, often come in bulk packs and are readily available in a range of colours, shapes and forms. However plastic items tend to wear and break easily, needing to be frequently replaced and ultimately being discarded as land fill that will take a lifetime to break down. In addition, when items are mass produced, the manufacturing process often has a huge impact on the environment.

Instead, where possible, I look for materials that will last for long periods of time (that are also sustainably sourced and manufactured). Wooden items from sustainable sources, silicone items and stainless steel items all feature in my clinic.

2.     Eliminate single-use items

The reduction, or elimination of, single-use items is one of the more well-known and widely accepted eco-friendly practices. Some of the reusable items I use are reusable coffee cups, water bottles, bags, food containers, food wraps and covers, cutlery, cleaning cloths and straws (I buy packs of stainless steel straws for respiration games).

3.     Eco-friendly toy storage

Many years ago I worked alongside a very a wonderful speech pathologist who had (and still has) a love for a certain brand of clothing. Every time she purchased from this company her items would come in blue drawstring bags. She would then use these bags for storage of toys rather than zip lock bags and plastic tubs. They were a great space saver, made transporting on school and home visits more compact and avoided using plastic for storage. I have continued on this practice as well as using baskets that I have picked up from markets and op shops for storage.

4.     Planting and gardening projects

We made a little vege garden out of an old canoe for the kids to water and, hopefully, harvest some fresh produce. Again, this isn’t logistical for everyone however, keeping plants in the clinic for kids to water or planting seeds in pots are ways to embed environmental awareness into our practices. One of my favourite telehealth activities that I implemented during our initial Covid-19 lockdown was growing eggshell seedlings- Simply save an egg carton and your eggshells, fill eggshells with soil, add seeds of choice and watch the seedlings grow. Once the seedlings are ready to be transferred, simply plant the while eggshell and seedling. If you don’t have the space (or time) for a garden, choose plants thayt can grow in a large pot- herbs are a wonderful option for pots. 

4.     Check out op shops for therapy toys and tools

A friend of mine once said “everything we need is already out there, mass production and convenience just means we don’t have to look for it anymore”. Op shops can be a therapist’s dream- you can find all sorts of toys, costumes and therapy tools. Other than the obvious benefit of being low-cost, op shopping is an incredibly sustainable option as it reduces the demand on “new” products and the resulting environmental cost of production and manufacturing. It also means items are being used for their full shelf-life rather than becoming waste. 

5.     Upcycled equipment

When creating our sensory gym, where possible, I had items built by local builders and trades from upcycled and “scrap” materials. This was ten years ago and all items are still fully functional today. 

Whilst I realise sourcing local trades and materials for therapy gym equipment isn’t an accessible option for everyone, upcycling is a wonderful consideration for other therapy and play items as well. A couple of years ago, I bought a mud kitchen from a little business called little chefs kitchens- a small family business that make mud kitchens from timber pallets and upcycled sinks. I then went to the op-shop and bought a whole heap of kitchen items and many mudpies, mud cakes and magic potions have been made since then. If you can’t get to an opshop or just don’t have the time you can check out my pre-loved mud kitchen sets here. 

6.     Reverse Garbage 

One of the easiest ways to consider environmental sustainability is to recycle household materials for therapy activities. Boxes, cardboard tubes, lids, jars, pipes can be used for a limitless range of therapy ideas and the variety of textures, shapes, sizes and properties make these items wonderful for supporting a range of developmental skills- praxis skills, play skills, fine and gross motor skills- and these games always seem to spark the most joy in the kids I work with. Sometimes I gather these items for a purpose such as last year’s Christmas group when we created Santa’s sleigh out of recycled materials. Other times, the uses are spontaneous like creating a cardboard target or a cubby house. 

8.     Consider the types of cleaning products used

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, I opted for eco-friendly cleaning products- many home made with vinegar and essential oils. My reason for this was largely due to my beliefs around the use of chemicals and the impact of toxins on our skin and respiratory systems, keeping in mind the sensitivity and allergies in many of the kids I work with. However, Covid-19 has certainly impacted my willingness to use homemade cleaning products in order to ensure I am meeting safe practice and hygiene guidelines so I am currently opting for commercially available eco-friendly cleaning products. 

 9.     Energy conservation habits and practices

Creating everyday habits such as turning lights off when not needed, setting appliances such as printers and monitors to sleep mode when not in use, turning off power points and unplugging electrical cords are easy ways to conserve energy.

10.  Organise waste

Consider sorting the waste in your practice and disposing of according to type. Our local council provides us with three waste disposal options- one for general waste, one for recycling and one for organic matter. Our local Coles supermarket has a soft plastic collection bin and we have a local “Return and Earn” recycling station for bottles and cans. Separating our waste into these categories means we are avoiding putting all waste into landfill and being aware of the recycling options in our area is important.

11.  Forest-friendly toilet paper

There are a few companies now that produce forest-friendly toilet paper. We have been using “Who Gives A Crap”- the bulk box is great, packaging is plastic free, the paper quality is good, they have donated millions to building toilets and advocating for adequate sanitation in developing countries and they are B Corp certified which means they meet the highest standards for social and environmental impact.