Summary of Project

The Precautionary Principle is a guiding framework for decision-making that anticipates how our actions will affect the environment and health of future generations.

1. Precautionary decision-making is based on a thorough examination of alternatives, transparency, participatory democracy, and prevention of harm. By using the Precautionary Principle we can begin to make wiser decisions in the face of uncertainty.

In April 2005, a group of folks from throughout Mendocino County met and began looking into the the adoption of the Precautionary Principle for use in County decision-making. The group decided to:

2. Encourage the Mendocino Board of Supervisors to study the potential adoption and use of a Precautionary Principle Policy.
   
   
3. Begin an educational campaign to help us understand how applying the Precautionary Principle will:
   • Support a healthy future of our communities
   • Support a strong local economy for the future
   • Encourage the exploration of better, safer, and often less costly alternatives
   • Bring democracy and transparency to decisions affecting health, the environment, and future generations.

In June 2006, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors adopted the Precautionary Principle Policy. This forward-thinking decision makes Mendocino County the second county in the United States to adopt the Precautionary Principle. San Francisco County adopted the Precautionary Principle in 2003.

Mendocino County's Executive Office along with the Board of Supervisors will select two departments as pilot programs to develop a decision-making framework and implementation guidelines which can then be shared by other departments.

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