The Happiness Initiative

A project of Sustainable Seattle www.sustainableseattle.org

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“In the near term, every policy must be viewed through a single prism:

Does it help the economy grow?

”

--

Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, 2010 election post-mortem in

The New York Times

What’s the Economy for, Anyway?

More stuff ? or A healthy, happy, fair and sustainable society ?

THE PROBLEM WITH GDP

Gross Domestic Product is a poor guide to well-being

It counts (as positive): Oil spills, cancer, divorce…etc.

It does not count: volunteering, taking care of friends and family, unpaid work, exercise…etc.

We need new indicators of progress to replace the GDP

Bobby Kennedy on GDP

“It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile…”

Measuring happiness instead of growth “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product.

” Jigme Singye Wangchuk, Fourth King of Bhutan, 1972

Bhutan’s nine domains of happiness

Talking about happiness

• • • •

We can change the conversation from GDP to well-being or happiness…as have

France Canada Brazil United Kingdom…

Happiness is as American as Apple Pie “The only orthodox object of the institution of government is to secure the greatest degree of happiness possible to the general mass of those associated under it.”

- Thomas Jefferson

Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” speech, 1964 “The purpose of protecting the life of our nation and preserving the liberty of our citizens is to pursue the happiness of our people. Our success in that pursuit is the test of our success as a nation … Your imagination, your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth.”

Gallup-Healthways rankings of happiest countries--2010 1. Denmark 2. Finland 3. Norway 4. Sweden 5. The Netherlands … 11. United States

Unhappy America?

A ccording to the Gallup-Healthways World Poll, the United States Ranks: (1 is best; 150 is worst) 69 th in SADNESS 75 th in ANGER 89 th in ANXIETY 145 th in STRESS

Lonely and Depressed

According to a 2010 TIME/AARP study, the percentage of Americans over 45 who are chronically lonely rose from 20% to 35% during the past ten years.

Americans consume 60 percent of the world’s anti- depressants.

Why don’t we talk about this?

Unhealthy at any cost

The United States spends nearly twice as much as other rich countries for health care, yet we rank: 49 th 45 th 2 nd in the world in life expectancy in the world in infant mortality in the world in obesity

Our Economy is Unsustainable

If everyone on Earth were to consume at the level of Americans, we would need

FIVE PLANETS

.

We can’t grow on like this.

Measuring Happiness: The Greater Victoria Well Being Survey

Take the Survey!

• Go to: www.sustainableseattle.org

• • It includes 150 questions and takes about 25-30 minutes You get your results immediately along with national median results

Some Key Results

Material Well-Being Satisfaction With Life Overall Well-Being Health Positive Affect Governance Education Environment Time Balance Community Participation 73 70 67 67 62 57 53 46 43 41

The Happiness Initiative

Goals: • • Gather well-being data – Survey & Objective indicators Action for positive change. – Individual – Organization – Policy

Happiness Initiative key activities

• • • • • • Partnerships Town Meetings Analysis and Recommendations Actions Happiness Circles Duplication in other cities

College Partnerships

• • • • The Happiness Initiative can provide: On-line survey and analysis for students Referral code so colleges can see aggregate scores Resources for classroom discussions Tool kit for conducting campus initiatives Email us: [email protected]

Colleges Currently Using Survey • • • • • • • • • Allegheny College Amherst College Antioch University, Seattle Ball State University Mount Holyoke Spalding University University of Washington Western Kentucky University Western Washington University

Pursuit of Happiness Day

• • Friday, April 13 is Pursuit of Happiness Day!

Thomas Jefferson’s birthday First celebration will be in 2012 • • • Will include: Campus teach-ins and celebrations Community events Large nationwide media outreach

For more information contact: John de Graaf

, HI co-director, Executive Director, Take Back Your Time — [email protected]

Laura Musikanski

, HI co-director, Executive Director, Sustainable Seattle – [email protected]