The Precautionary Principle

Our mothers used to say, “A stitch in time saves nine.” Today we talk about the Precautionary Principle.

The Precautionary Principle was hammered out in 1998 by scientists, researchers, and citizens who were concerned about industry’s efforts to use lack of scientific certainty as a cover to produce products that could harm people or the planet.

To the contrary, the principle declares: “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.”

Remember all those “reports” saying that there was no proof of climate change, so it’s fine to buy an SUV? If our political leaders had been following the Precautionary Principle, they’d have quashed SUVs … and the climate would be far better off today.

Industries use scientific uncertainty as a way to avoid cleaning up their act. But as we learn more and more about “uncertain” issues – not just climate change, but water scarcity and exposure to dangerous chemicals, too – we’re becoming aware that our role as consumers is to practice the Precautionary Principle ourselves. How?

• Choose products and services that are certified sustainable. Protect yourself and your family from environmental and safety threats by favoring goods that have undergone Life Cycle Analysis or third party verification of their sustainability claims.  
• Don’t use more products than you need, simply because an advertising campaign urges you to do so. Follow the principle, and take precautions that protect you from overexposure (or overuse).
• Educate yourself on the basics behind the big issues that affect you and your family. Weigh for yourself the pros and cons of using a particular product or service independent of its manufacturer’s claims.
• Follow your instincts. We know that burning fossil fuels creates climate change and air pollution. We know that many cleansers contain chemicals that threaten human health. We know that if we don’t protect the places where animals and plants live, they’ll have nowhere to survive. We don’t need to know much more than that to make wise choices about how we live and what we buy – despite manufacturers’ exhortations to do otherwise.