The concept of green engineering began between 1966 and 1970 during the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development under the name: "The Ten Ecological Commandments for Earth Citizens". The idea was expressed visually as the following cycle starting with the first commandment and ending with the tenth:
# Respect the laws of nature
# Learn as responsible earth citizens from the wisdom of nature
# Do not reduce plurality richness, abundance of living species
# Do not pollute
# Face earth-responsibility every day for our children and our children's children
# Follow the principle of nature precaution/sustainability in all economic activities!
# Act as you speak!
# Prefer small clever and intelligent problem solutions, including rational and emotional intelligence factors
# Information about environmental damage belongs to mankind - not (only) to privilieged big business
# Listen carefully [to] what your own body tells you about [the] impact of your very personal social and natural environment upon your wellbeing
The idea was then presented by Peter Menke-Glückert at the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Conference at Paris in 1968. These principles are similar to the Principles of Green Engineering in that each individual has an intrinsic responsibility to uphold these values. The Ten Ecological Commandments for Earth Citizens is thought by Dr. Płotka-Wasylka to have influenced The Principles of Green Engineering, which has been said to imply that all engineers have a duty to uphold sustainable values and practices when creating new processes.
Green engineering is a part of a larger push for sustainable practices in the creation of products such as chemical compounds. This movement is more widely known as green chemistry, and has been headed since 1991 by Paul Anastas and John C. Warner. Green chemistry, being older than green engineering, is a more researched field of study and began in 1991 with the creation of the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry.