Monthly Update
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
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.”
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!