Product Information
For the past quarter-century, government and the private sector have relied heavily on risk assessment for making decisions, allowing widespread environmental deterioration. In this book, Mary O'Brien recommends a simple yet profound shift to another decision-making technique: alternatives assessment . Instead of asking how much of a hazardous activity is safe (which translates into how much damage the environment can tolerate), alternatives assessment asks how we can avoid or minimize damage while achieving society's goals. Alternatives assessment is a simple, commonsense alternative to risk assessment. It is based on the premise that it is not acceptable to damage human and nonhuman health or the environment if there are reasonable alternatives. The approach calls for taking precautionary measures even if some cause-and-effect relationships have not been fully established scientifically. The process must involve an examination of the full range of alternatives, including no action at all. Equally important, it must be democratic and include potentially affected parties. O'Brien not only makes a persuasive case for alternative assessment; she tells how to implement it. She also shows how this technique has profound implications for public health, for our stewardship of the environment, and for a truly democratic government.Product Identifiers
PublisherMIT Press Ltd
ISBN-139780262650533
eBay Product ID (ePID)94421916
Product Key Features
Publication NameMaking Better Environmental Decisions: an Alternative to Risk Assessment
SubjectGeology, Classical Studies, Management
Publication Year2000
TypeTextbook
FormatPaperback
LanguageEnglish
AuthorMary O'brien
Number of Pages304 Pages
Dimensions
Item Height226 mm
Item Weight408 g
Additional Product Features
Country/Region of ManufactureUnited States
Title_AuthorMary O'brien
Series TitleThe MIT Press