The Precautionary Principle as the Starting Point for Greening

Thursday, August 30, 2007
Posted by Jenny Barsumian Brady

The Precautionary Principle’s basic premise is:  “When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.” (From 1998 Wingspread Statement)

For years, environmental and public health movements have struggled to find ways to protect our health and the health of the planet in the face of scientific uncertainty about cause and effect. Numerous types of products are fed into the marketplace through America’s traditional regulatory approach, where it must be proven harmful before taken off the market, allowing over 80% of chemicals used by consumers to remain untested.

The fast moving “Green” movement, though started by activists, is fast becoming a grassroots movement increasingly consumer-driven. It encourages us as consumers to take the steps needed to protect our indoor air quality, limit our toxic exposures, conserve non-renewable resources, and persuade our governments to manage resources with the respect they deserve.

As pre-cautious consumers we can use our purchasing power to persuade profit-making companies to look out for our environmental health and safety and insist that industry stop producing, selling and profiting from goods and services that jeopardize our health and resources.

Read more on The Precautionary Principle:
Science and Environmental Health Article
Rachel's Democracy and Health New