During the week of May 19, 2003, approximately 65 chemists and engineers from industry, academia, and government met at the Sandestin Resort in Florida for a conference on “Green Engineering: Defining the Principles.” Over four days, they presented research and discussed green engineering principles. By the end of the conference, the scientists collectively agreed to a compiled set of nine principles, now known as The Sandestin Declaration.
These principles represent a majority view of green engineering as determined during the Sandestin Conference. The Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy (Los Alamos National Laboratory), and the ACS Green Chemistry institute®, supported the meeting.
The Sandestin Declaration: 9 Principles of Green Engineering*
- Engineer processes and products holistically, use systems analysis, and integrate environmental impact assessment tools.
- Conserve and improve natural ecosystems while protecting human health and well-being.
- Use life-cycle thinking in all engineering activities.
- Ensure that all material and energy inputs and outputs are as inherently safe and benign as possible.
- Minimize depletion of natural resources.
- Strive to prevent waste.
- Develop and apply engineering solutions, while being cognizant of local geography, aspirations, and cultures.
- Create engineering solutions beyond current or dominant technologies; improve, innovate, and invent (technologies) to achieve sustainability.
- Actively engage communities and stakeholders in development of engineering solutions
*Abraham, M.; Nguyen, N. “Green engineering: Defining principles” – Results from the Sandestin conference. Environmental Progress 2004, 22, 233-236.DOI: 10.1002/ep.670220410
