There's a buzzword flying around environmental circles lately: "the precautionary principle." Can you explain what that is?

The precautionary principle is a broad, common sense standard for making ethical decisions about practices that can effect our future. If you have reason to think a certain practice could hurt human health or the environment, but all the evidence isn't in yet, you hold off on that activity until you have all the info you need to make a sound decision.

In January 1998, an international group of scientists, government officials, lawyers, environmentalists and others met in Wisconsin to discuss the precautionary principle. They defined the principle this way: "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. In this context the proponent of an activity, rather than the public, should bear the burden of proof."

So, for example, if there is evidence that a certain chemical may cause cancer, the precautionary principle suggests that alternatives to that chemical should be used until it can be proven safe. You don't continue using the chemical until it is proven deadly.

This simple principle comes out of a growing realization that human beings may be causing harm to ourselves and our planet in ways that won't be fully comprehended for generations to come. The objective of the precautionary principle is to take preventative steps to decrease risks to our ecosystem, the health of our children and to the economy.

Obviously there are few human activities that are completely risk-free. It is just as clear, however, that certain activities contain less risk than others. Advocates of the precautionary principle contend that through open and honest scientific dialogue we can find safe and effective ways to progress in meeting the world's many needs.

For an example of how the precautionary principle could be applied, visit "Rachel's Environment and Health News" at:
http://www.rachel.org/bulletin/index.cfm?St=4

See past questions here.

Submit your question by emailing us at talktous@greenworks.tv