This Sunday: John de Graaf and the Happiness Initiative

[David MacLeod]

I am excited that John de Graaf is in town this weekend along with Linda Musikanski, and speaking at the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship Sunday service. More details about the event here on our events page.

 

de Graaf, author of "Affluenza" has inspired an international sensation with the Happiness Initiative in Seattle.

 

Check it out:

 

"The Happiness Initiative provides a comprehensive assessment of well being and  engages & inspires people, organizations and policy makers to action. Seattle has become  the first Gross National Happiness City and the goal now is to spread Happiness Initiatives across our nation and internationally."

 

Background

"In1991, Sustainable Seattle became the first organization in the United States to develop local indicators of well-being as an alternative to GDP.  To do it, we partnered with dozens of other local organizations and agencies.  Our work led to similar projects in more than 100 American cities and name recognition around the world.  For our 20th anniversary, Sustainable Seattle is again taking the lead, as we begin to collect and publicize the first set of happiness (or well-being) indicators for any city in the United States.  Together with our partners, we are creating a model of survey results and metrics for well-being and social justice that can be replicated in any city to catalyze citizen dialogue and action in pursuit of happiness — sustainability and love."

http://www.sustainableseattle.org/sahi