Local green building guru Jim LaRue sent us this item about Mendocino County, California which took an unusual step to protect the health of its citizens by passing a ‘precautionary principle’ ordinance in October 2005.

A precautionary principle suggests that — even when scientific evidence doesn’t necessarily link cause and effect — if we strongly suspect something's causing harm we have a duty to act to stop it.

The Mendocino ordinance bans certain herbicides, requires an environmental impact statement when an industrial development is proposed, reserves adequate stream flows for protection of fish and wildlife habitat, and calls for studies of alternative ideas and full cost accounting. 

With the ordinance, the county established the framework for environmental planning on a regional scale. What can Northeast Ohio learn and adopt from that line of planning and economic development thinking (simultaneously supporting a precautionary principle and building a green infrastructure)?

What would you put on your wish list for a Cleveland or Cuyahoga County precautionary principle?

Read more about precautionary principle here.