Sponsors

P.C. Morrell Family Foundation
National Life Insurance Company – Peace & Justice Center – Vermont Community Foundation
Winoski Hydro – VCAM - RETN - Channel 17/Town Meeting Television 

Inspiring a Movement

Welcome to the July 2010 GNHUSA update.

Two hundred and thirty four years ago, this month, the forefathers promised the citizens of our new democracy, “…life, liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” The Declaration of Independence is an astounding document, produced with extraordinary thoughtfulness and passion. In fact, the word, “property” was seriously considered as an alternative to “happiness.” Although Jefferson et al brilliantly chose happiness, it could be argued that we have actually pursued property – believing and perpetuating the belief that the two are reliably linked. Deep down, we know that this belief system is deeply flawed and our behavior is destroying our economy, our governing systems, our environment, and our children’s future. It is surely time to, once again, think carefully and deeply about happiness, what it is, why it’s important, and how to pursue it. GNHUSA has been created to support the genuine and healthy pursuit of life, liberty and happiness for ALL. Please join us.
 

Gross National Happiness Conference a Success! The first GNH conference ever to be held in the United States, “GNH2010: Changing What We Measure From Wealth To Well-Being,” was a resounding success.

Participants’ Comments: 

“You did a fantastic job!” 
“Impressed that you drew such an international crowd, and the networking opportunities and conversations were very rich…”

“…liked the short intensive nature of the conference and also the fact that it was organized “sparingly”. No swag, fluff or over indulgences. Felt very authentic.

More than 120 people from 13 states and 7 countries immersed themselves in discussion about definitions and measures of happiness and well-being at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont on June 1 – 3, 2010.

Conference presentations and videos are available at www.gnhusa.org . More information from the conference at www.gnhusa.org
Karma Tshiteem (Bhutan) – How Bhutan’s new government is evaluating GNH data and developing related policy
Susan Andrews (Brazil) – The power of the science of hedonics – and youth and the GNH movement in Brazil
Bill McKibben (Vermont, USA) – Critical, urgent, inspiring message that political action on energy policy is needed – NOW – to preserve the environment on which happiness depends

Notes taken while Susan talked: “GNH is a profound process for social change. Not an indicator, it is a new consciousness. It is a recognition that interdependence, community vitality and empathy are important factors in GNH. A State of total heart connection. That is where human society should be moving…and I think it is moving in that direction.”

Also: Ron Colman (Genuine Progress Index Atlantic, Nova Scotia)
Robert Costanza (Gund Institute at UVM, Vermont)
John deGraaf (Take Back Your Time, Seattle)
Vicki Robin (Your Money or Your Life, Seattle)
Eric Zencey (What’s Wrong with GDP?, Vermont)

Many Vermont leaders sat on panels and conducted workshops. These included Jeffrey Hollender (Seventh Generation), Nancy Lynch (Peace & Justice Center), Stuart Comstock-Gay (Vermont Community Foundation), Con Hogan (formerly with VT Agency of Human Services), and Gwen Hallsmith (City of Montpelier). It was clear to many in the audience that Vermont is poised to provide leadership to this movement.

Launch of the GNH Ambassadors and Speakers Bureau Our model for inspiring a GNH movement includes developing volunteer organizers and facilitators who will plan, promote and host community gatherings and presentations at churches, schools, work places and homes. We are building a toolkit of resources for those who want to host these discussions. If you are interested in organizing and/or doing GNH presentations, facilitating discussions, even hosting “kitchen table conversations” that delve into happiness, measurements and change, please come to a Speakers Bureau planning meeting on Thursday, August 5th from 5:30 to 7:00pm in Montpelier – Room 105 in the Stone Science Center at Union College in Montpelier, VT.
What to expect:

Introductions
A set of short videos followed by discussions on why we need to move beyond GDP. These are great explanations in simple language. You’ve never had so much fun with economics.
Planning Discussion — our structure for organizing and presenting — forming a GNH Speaker’s Bureau.
What we can do together — speakers toolbox, organize discussions, lead discussions Let’s get started! Please RSVP to ginny@gnhusa.org

Invitation to Join GNHUSA Working Groups
Up to now, GNHUSA has operated as a small team of enthusiastic, dedicated people, gathering others into the fold through our mailing list, web site and the conference. The response to our mission is extraordinary – the time for this shift is now. Our work is to create a movement – and we hope you’ll join us. GNHUSA has selected seven areas of activity for the immediate future. We intend to focus staff efforts on supporting the creation and work of these groups – formed around specific interest areas (and more if/as they emerge). Groups will meet regularly (in person and virtually), define and work towards specific goals, collaborating with other organizations as appropriate. They will be composed of anyone interested in the subject and willing to join in the work and fun, and in sharing their passion and expertise. Brief group descriptions are below. To join a working group or share an idea, use the appropriate link(s) below.

Education – Interested in bringing GNH concepts into the classroom? Join teachers, administrators, students and others interested in working toward sharing existing and developing new materials, cross-discipline collaborations, and assembling the best ideas into curricula in different areas at different grade levels. (Join/Comment re: Education)

Vermont as a GNH laboratory – Vermont has a long history of pioneering social change and is well-suited to model the GNH shift toward indicators that truly measure progress. This group may decide to partner with Vermont local and state government, socially responsible businesses and non-profits as they apply well-being indicators and develop best practices for using these indicators to help us shape public policy and budgets. (Join/Comment re: VT as GNH Lab)

Events – Events bring people together to learn, share and connect. Conferences, Speakers Series, Parties and More! – this working groups’s responsibility will be to design and produce a calendar of GNH-related events – one that supports GNHUSA’s goals. (Join/Comment re: Events)

Speakers Bureau – GNHUSA wants to talk to a lot of people in communities, schools, workplaces and governments about our ideas. This working group will collect and develop resources, and coordinate requests for speakers and GNH Ambassadors. (planning meeting, August 5, 5:30 to 7 in Montpelier, Room 105, Stone Science Bldg, Union Institute, College and Ridge Streets) (Join/Comment re: Speakers Bureau)

Youth Activism – GNH ideas must be deeply rooted in our future leaders. The movement will need lots of energy and innovation to make the shift to a new and improved lens through which to design our common future. This group will engage young people in the transformation of their future. (Join/Comment re: Youth Activism)

Governance – If you are passionate about “Good Governance,” you can help create it – this group will educate State agency employees, local government officials, school boards, legislators, candidates and other decision-makers about GNH ideas. With the primaries in full-swing, educating candidates and the media is a top priority. This group will raise the visibility and viability of these ideas in the context of the election. (Join/Comment re: Governance)

Social Media – GNHUSA has a website, a Facebook Group and Tweets. What is needed is a team to develop a comprehensive plan, do the necessary research, write content and blogs, and stay in touch with our expanding networks. We need to build real conversations online and in our communities and we need to move at internet speed. Our website has grown from 1200 unique visitors per month in January to 12,000 per month in June. (Join/Comment re: Social Media)

Recent Press and Inspiration
Lisa Napoli - NPR Conference Report
John deGraaf - Conference Blog
Chip Conley - TED Talk – Measuring What Makes Life Worthwhile
Rushworth M. Kidder - Public Integrity and National Happiness
Hazel Henderson - on the Politics of Happiness Foundation for Global Community -
Wombat Speaks
Jeremy Rifkin – The Empathic Civilization

Can you help support GNHUSA? Since the June conference, GNHUSA organizers have been considering next steps – and these include opening an office and hiring staff. We need your financial help to build a strong and effective organization. Please donate online or send a tax deductible contribution to GNHUSA, PO Box 888, Montpelier, VT 05601. If you would like to discuss how you can help us build the financial backing for the GNH national movement, please contact Linda Wheatley at linda@gnhusa.org or at (802) 236-9389. We would be most grateful, and happy, to hear from you.

One last thing…GNHUSA is seeking interns for the fall and winter. Interns will be assigned to work closely with one GNHUSA core member who will help guide their research in areas such as existing sets of comprehensive measures, existing curricula, best practices where these measures have been used so far, web site development and social networking, building our resource lists for books, videos, blogs and more. We may be able to arrange college credits for some positions. Contact tom@gnhusa.org .

Sincerely,

Linda Wheatley,
President Gross National Happiness USA
linda@gnhusa.org
(802) 236-9389 

Gross National Happiness USA | PO Box 888 | Montpelier | VT | 05601

     ——

GNHUSA Update – April 2010

Welcome to the April update from Gross National Happiness USA! “GNHUSA” is a Vermont-based, non-partisan, non-profit organization working to create an economy of well-being. We seek to enlarge the lens through which citizens and the marketplace view progress – by articulating a set of indicators, or progress measures, that reflects our social, environmental and cultural values, as well as our economic aspirations. We believe this shift is critical to the survival of the planet. This month, we are thrilled to announce that registration is available for our historic GNH Conference.

Registration NOW OPEN for our Kick-off Conference!

We are very excited to invite YOU to join us at our ground-breaking conference, “GNH2010: Changing What we Measure from Wealth to Well-Being!” The conference will be held June 1 – 4, 2010 at Champlain College in Burlington. On-line registration is available at www.gnhusa.org. The topic is relevant to all parties, sectors, generations and regions – you are warmly encouraged to join us for this first ever GNH conference in the United States. Student discounts are available, and the early bird registration fee discount is available through April 15th.

The conference includes three days of presentations and discussions with a brilliant and dynamic team of international guests, followed on June 4th by a day-long “GNH Ambassador Training” (see next item). Confirmed speakers include Susan Andrews (Future Vision Eco-Parque in Brazil), Dasho Karma Ura (President of the Centre for Bhutan Studies, Bhutan), and Ron & Gwen Colman (Genuine Progress Indicator Atlantic, Nova Scotia, Canada) — all key players in the international development and application of GNH-like tools and activities. They will share their experiences alongside Vermonters Bill McKibben (Middlebury College & 350.org), Robert Costanza (Gund Institute, UVM), Con Hogan (former Secretary of AHS), Stuart Comstock-Gay (Vermont Community Foundation), Venerable Amy Miller (Milarepa Center) and Gwen Hallsmith (EnVision Montpelier).

The first three days will each feature a provocative keynote address, followed by workshops and panel discussions designed to allow participants to deeply explore how and why we need to measure and nurture well-being, individually and societally. Afternoon workshops, open space technology sessions, and a “World Cafe,” are designed to get everyone’s creative, collaborative and productive juices flowing toward Vermont-focused action that will keep the momentum going after the conference.

Conference registration is limited to 200 participants and we expect demand to be great. Don’t delay. Register at the GNHUSA web site.

GNH Ambassador Training

On Friday, June 4, 2010, GNHUSA is offering a full-day (8:30 – 3:00) Gross National Happiness “Ambassador Training,” also at Champlain College. The training, co-facilitated by international leaders and local GNHUSA experts, will prepare you with information, tools and practice to be an Ambassador for GNH in your school, your community, your organization or anywhere important decisions are being made. Students are especially encouraged to consider participating. The Vermont Peace Academy is a major sponsor for this training and scholarships are available. See www.gnhusa.org for details.

Sponsor the Conference!

This is a rare opportunity for socially responsible individuals, businesses, community groups and foundations to take the lead with GNHUSA on an emerging critically important movement. We expect local, national and international media attention – so sponsors will receive great exposure. Sponsorship materials are available at our web site.

Can You Help Support GNHUSA?

This spring, GNHUSA is only one year old. Up till now, a core and growing group of dedicated volunteers has accomplished a lot, with no budget. We started with kitchen table conversations, and now, as you can see, we’re ready to launch a national movement! That’s a lot to celebrate, but we’re also very aware that we’ve reached the point where it will be hard to continue with no money and no staff. We need your financial help to build a strong and effective organization. Contact us at info@gnhusa.org – or send a Tax-Deductable contribution to GNHUSA, PO Box 888, Montpelier, VT 05601. Your donation will go to better-than-good use! Thank you.

Where Did This GNH Idea Come From?

Although Vermont, and the United States, will integrate GNH concepts in our own unique, appropriate way, the tiny, Himalayan country of Bhutan should be acknowledged for their contribution to the GNH movement. In 1972, Bhutan’s King Jigme Singye Wangchuk famously declared that Gross National Happiness was more important than Gross National Product. Bhutan is now the planet’s youngest democracy (first elections March 2008). Their constitution, national five-year plan, and entire government structure have been designed around the four pillars of GNH (see below). As former Harvard president, Derek Bok acknowledges in his new book, The Politics of Happiness, “the sheer utopian audacity of a country that commits itself to making happiness the centerpiece of national policy is enough to compel a respectful interest.”

Bhutan’s Four Pillars of Gross National Happiness:  

  • good governance and democratization
  • the promotion of sustainable development
  • the preservation and promotion of cultural values
  • the conservation of the natural environment

The Centre for Bhutan Studies was established to define happiness according to the Bhutanese, and to create a system for measuring it. CBS’ GNH survey gathers data on 72 measurable indicators grouped under nine principal domains – time use, living standards, good governance, psychological well-being, community vitality, culture, health, education, and ecology. Learn why we need something more than GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and to replace that single measure of the churning of money with comprehensive indicators that help us measure well-being.

More resource suggestions can be found in the website under resources. And check out the Blog and News sections for articles and events.

GNHUSA Contact Information

GNHUSA is a movement of the people. We welcome volunteers and other offers of skill and support! Even if your time is limited, we want to hear everyone’s ideas and concerns. Here’s how you can keep in touch with us:

Email us - info (at) gnhusa.org

Or call: (802) 236-9389

We’re on Facebook: please join our Gross National Happiness American Project Facebook group

http://www.facebook.com/find-friends/?code=721472840#!/group.php?gid=145375412018

And we Tweet: www.Twitter.com/GNHUSA

Our mailing list is now over 1200 individuals, organizations and businesses; local, national and international. Please feel free to share this update with friends and help us create a happier future. Earlier GNHUSA Updates are available at www.gnhusa.org

Thank you.

Linda Wheatley

President, GNHUSA

 
 

GNHUSA Monthly Update – November/December 2009

New Indicators for social and personal well-being

“Family, neighbourhood, community are the core economy. The core economy produces: love and caring, coming to each other’s rescue, democracy and social justice. It is time now to invest in rebuilding the core economy.” Dr. Edgar Cahn

Vermont Delegation at the GNH Research Conference in Brazil

Iguassu Falls (Foz du Iguacu) was the stage for an international, yet powerfully Brazilian, gathering of more than 600 academicians, policy-makers, business leaders and non-profit activists. Presentations recognized the complexity of social progress, sought to clarify language and definitions, and offered examples of local application of GNH principles. Montpelier resident and GNHUSA board member, Eric Zencey presented a well-received plenary session on, “The Financial Crisis is the Environmental Crisis: an introduction to Ecological Economics.” The Vermont delegation also included Tom Barefoot (Warren), Linda Wheatley and Marie Hamilton (both of Montpelier).

GNH2010 Conference and Ambassador Training Update

The agenda for “GNH2010: Changing What We Measure from Wealth to Well-Being” will be posted at www.gnhusa.org in January; registration will begin soon after. The conference, which will be more like a three-day seminar, will be designed to inspire participants as they quickly, yet comfortably, ascend the GNH learning curve, while highlighting Vermont’s good work to date on developing indicators of well-being. An international team of GNH experts, from Bhutan, Brazil, Thailand, France and Canada, will guide the process as Vermont embraces GNH concepts and principles. Day four will be a one-day “GNH Ambassador Training” for individuals interested in taking a lead role in spreading GNH concepts. GNH Ambassadors will form a cadre of local experts who will be available to schools, communities and organizations interested in learning more as the word gets out.

Montpelier High School Students Grapple with GNH

Tom Sabo’s Environmental Applications and Lyman Castle’s Economics classes at Montpelier High School are becoming laboratories for dialogue, exploration and deeper understanding of topics critical to the students’ sustainable future. On December 22nd, following up a panel discussion on GNH last month, students in the combined classrooms will discuss happiness and the conditions that support its pursuit. Highlights will be posted at www.gnhusa.org

GNHUSA Vermonters attend Education Seminar in Bhutan

Last week, Adrie Kusserow of St. Michael’s College, and Curtis Koren of Vermont Intercultural Semesters, joined a powerful cast of international, holistic education experts for a workshop in Thimphu, Bhutan, titled “Educating for Gross National Happiness.” Hosted by the Bhutan Department of Education, the event will further the Prime Minister’s goal to integrate GNH principles and approaches into the country’s educational system and curricula at every level. Brief emails from our representatives express serious inspiration and ideas for GNH in America’s schools. Read more: http://www.education.gov.bt/and at http://www.bhutantoday.bt/?p=1459

Maple Corners Speakers Series Guest: Eric Zencey

Montpelier resident and GNHUSA board member, Eric Zencey will present, “Getting over Gross Domestic Product: Gross National Happiness and Other Measures of Well-Being,” on Thursday, January 7th at the Maple Corner Community Center. His talk will start at 7:00 pm (following a pot-luck at 6:00). All are welcome. For more info, contact Ginny Sassaman at sassamanmediation@gmail.com

Spotlight on the New Economics Foundation

The tag-line for the new economics foundation in the UK is “economics as if people and the planet mattered.” The creators of the Happy Planet Index recently released a report that examines the value and worth of different professions in terms of how they contribute to society. A Bit Rich: Calculating the real value to society of different professions can be found at http://www.neweconomics.org/.

GNHUSA

We envision a sustainable future, based on a comprehensive set of social progress indicators, that reflects our American values and truly supports life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Where and how to find us:

www.gnhusa.org
Our email address is info@gnhusa.org
Our phone number is: (802) 236-9389
On Facebook: please join our Gross National Happiness American Project Facebook group
On Twitter: www.Twitter.com/GNHUSA

spacer550

Gross National Happiness American Project

October 2009 Update

Quote for the month from Tom Atlee, Founder, Co-Intelligence Institute, “As we build wise democracies, all the good things people are trying to do for the world will become so much easier to accomplish.”

MHS hosts a GNH panel

Students of Tom Sabo’s environmental apps and Lyman Castle’s economics classes, will host a panel discussion about “GDP, GNH, and other progress indicators” on Tuesday, November 3rd, 11:15 to 12:30 in the library at Montpelier High School. The general public is welcome. Panelists: Eric Zencey (Empire State College) and Tricia Senzel (Financial Wealth Consultant). Contact us for more information.

GNH Youth Council and Arts Project

A Vermont-based GNH Youth Council is forming to give voice to those who will most benefit from expanding our set of indicators. Their initial activity will be to launch an arts project: The Pursuit of Happiness – through poetry and writing. Local performances will be scheduled though the winter; highlights will be presented at the GNH2010 Conference in Burlington, VT next June. Guidelines will be posted soon at www.gnhusa.org. Contact gnhusaap@gmail.com for more information about the Youth Council.

PRI/The World and Eric Zencey

Our own Eric Zencey was interviewed by Jason Margolis for a story aired on October 29th on PRI/The World. Professor Zencey is a Montpelier resident who’s 8/9/09 New York Times op ed, “G.D.P. R.I.P.” attracted much attention as it clearly and practically pointed out the limitations of GDP. You can hear the interview by going to PRI/The World’s web site and searching for Jason Margolis. http://www.theworld.org/?s=margolis

GNH2010 Conference Update

Our conference planning committee has designed an informational and engaging four-day agenda for our June 1 – 4 event at Champlain College – soon to be posted at http://www.gnhusa.org/

This conference/seminar is intended to take interested Vermonters (and others) quickly and comfortably up the GNH learning curve, and launch you into a new world of understanding, where well-being is well-defined by far more than economic indictors. Powerful keynote speakers, international guests and performers will book-end days of our think tank laboratory – Vermont people – Vermont values – Vermont results.

Vermont Delegation to Brazil
Fifth International Gross National Happiness Research Conference

Go to Brazil for a GNH immersion, November 19 – 24 – mingle with researchers and activists from Bhutan, Thailand, Canada, England, Brazil and elsewhere, while getting the latest information on GNH efforts around the world. Airfares are reasonable… Moderate registration fee ($600 for adults, $300 for students) includes all local transportation, food and lodging… There is still time to join Vermonters Eric Zencey, Tom Barefoot, Linda Wheatley, and Marie Hamilton among others – and be home in time for Thanksgiving. Review the conference program and speakers

http://www.felicidadeinternabruta.org.br/

Then contact Linda Wheatley for more info about joining the Vermont delegation: (802) 229-6932 and linda@gnhusa.org

GNHUSA

We envision a sustainable future, based on a comprehensive set of social progress indicators, that reflects our American values and truly supports life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

GNHUSA is about YOU taking control of what we measure. It’s about redefining the social contract – with a (re)focus on our country’s founding desire to support “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

spacer550

Gross National Happiness American Project

September 2009 Update
Exciting news! The original idea of hosting a GNH conference in Vermont has evolved into a much larger idea: building a movement to bring Gross National Happiness to America, starting with our small and progressive state.  The conference — “Changing What we Measure from Wealth to Well-Being, June 1 – 4, 2010″ — will launch this new movement: the Gross National Happiness American Project.

Help from abroad: Our efforts have recently received an extra boost from France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy, who announced on September 14th that he will raise the GNH idea at the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh this week!  Sarkozy’s position is based on research recently released in France by an extraordinary panel made up of several Nobel Prize winners.  Their work shows just how valid, timely and crucial GNH is.  http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4692507,00.html

Montpelier’s own Eric Zencey recently published an op-ed in The New York Times, entitled “GDP: RIP.”  http://www.opednews.com/populum/linkframe.php?linkid=95196 Zencey, who is joining the GNHUSA board of directors and will be a key player in our movement, will be on public radio’s “The World” on September 24th at 8:00 pm discussing GNH. Eric will also be a guest speaker at the Gross National Happiness research conference in Brazil (see next item)

Vermont Delegation to GNH5: As in Bhutan last fall, Vermont is going to be well represented at the annual GNH research conference in Brazil in November. Information about the conference is at: http://www.felicidadeinternabruta.org.br/ See http://www.sweetmangotours.com/untours.cfm for more information about how you can join the delegation.

We’re incorporating! The Vermont Peace Academy has graciously offered to be our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor until we get our own non-profit status.  We are grateful and pleased to be partnering with them — but also thrilled that we have signed the papers, opened a bank account, and gotten that process started.  We’re on our way!

Our website is up! Thanks to the generosity of designer Roxy White, who worked diligently pro bono to create a friendly but serious website, and Shrihari & Nitrogens Designs for the technical support, we are on the internet!  The site is still in its early stages, but we love it: www.gnhusa.org

As we have been sharing our new project with friends and neighbors, it has become apparent that most Vermonters understand the need for GNH.  Everyone wants to know more, be involved, collaborate and/or engage on some level. As GNHUSA gets organized, we want very much to be fully inclusive, with a process that acknowledges the work that is already being done — and with open doors to welcome all of you as part of this new journey.

We agree with Bill McKibben’s observation, “What actually makes people happy is full engagement.”   You will be happier just by engaging in the Gross National Happiness American Project!