Shiny, happy people

Costa Rica is ranked #3 out of 178 countries on the Happy Planet Index. For those of you in the U.S., you are ranked #150. Canada doesn't fare all that much better, at #111. The U.K. is only minimally better at #108. According to the Happy Planet Index, "It is the first ever index to combine environmental impact with human well-being to measure the environmental efficiency with which country by country, people live long and happy lives. By addressing the relative success or failure of countries in supporting good lives for their citizens, whilst respecting the environmental resource limits upon which our lives depend, the HPI has much to teach us. Analysing its results could help us to move towards a world where we can all live good lives without costing the earth." Hear, here.

Just in case you were wondering, Colombia is ranked #2, and #1 is Vanuatu (which is strange, considering it had the bad sense to host "Survivor"). In the Europe-only index, Iceland is #1.

You can calculate your own happiness, too. I scored 61.3, above average, but could be better. Apparently, people in São Tomé and Principe, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam are about as happy as I am. Who knew? The personal happiness survey also indicated such things as I have a small ecological footprint compared to the average respondent: "No doubt you take environmental issues very seriously - avoiding motorised transportation, minimising meat in your diet and conserving and recycling where possible." True. I am also "optimistic about the future and probably also about [myself]," "healthy, active and full of strong feelings of worth, autonomy and purpose," and particularly telling: "unsatisfied with, or perhaps indifferent to, the community within which you live." And as a bonus? "You are very satisfied with your job / course - it is very interesting, rarely stressful, and leaves you plenty of time to do the things you want to do, such as participating in community activities." Hooray!