I've been trying to figure out how they assessed this - how many people were interviewed, using what tests, etc.

"Once in awhile we get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if we look at it right" - Hunter/Garcia

Interesting.  I need to read the entire report instead of just skim over it, but it looks like a politically and ideologically biased assessment that says if you say you are happy, live reasonably close to the standard life expectancy for humans, don't use much in terms of natural resources, and happen to live in a "socially progressive" nation, that's not too crowded and not too industrialized, then life for you is good.  In other words, if I sold my house and moved to the wilderness of Colorado, Montana,eg., lived in  a small cabin on 1.7 hectares where I raised everything I consumed (petted the Deer and antelope along the way), etc., etc.,then I could be Nr 1 on the list as long as my genetics permitted.  Yeah, I know my government would have to grant me national status.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

Why not? Well, check the ranking of Iraq. Number 79, well ahead of the US, and about equal to the UK. Life expectancy 57, balanced by a footprint of 1.3. Or Palestine being ahead of Israel (footprint 1.5 vs. 4.8). This suggests a strategy that the U.S. could adopt to improve the HPI of selected countries which I don't really think we want to get into.

The idea itself might make sense, but I think the tradeoff between the inputs has to be wrong to give results like this.

43. Netherlands
    
44. Malta

51. Germany
    
52. Switzerland
    
53. Sweden
    
54. Albania

57. Austria
    
58. Serbia
    
59. Finland
    
60. Croatia

62. Cyprus

64. Belgium
    
65. Bosnia and Herzegovina
    
66. Slovenia

69. Italy
    
70. Romania
    
71. France

73. Slovakia
    
74. United Kingdom

76. Spain
    
77. Poland
    
78. Ireland

82. Bulgaria
    
83. Turkey

86. Lithuania

88. Norway

90. Hungary

92. Czech Republic

94. Iceland

97. Greece
    
98. Portugal

101. Latvia

104. Belarus
     
105. Denmark

111. Macedonia

122. Luxembourg

131. Estonia

So at 42, life in Haiti beats all of Europe. Haiti's low 59.5 years of life expectancy and low 5.2 life satisfaction is offset by the country's low 0.5 ecological footprint according to the HPI.

Haiti has environmental destruction on a massive scale, but the HPI study gives them a low 'green' ecological footprint. Just a few months ago, the International Crisis Group released a report titled Haiti: Saving the Environment, Preventing Instability and Conflict.

Reversing a decades-long trend of environmental destruction is essential to Haiti's development, social and economic stability and, ultimately, security. Instability and violent conflict are not attributable solely to environmental degradation. But they are made more likely by the latter's interaction with such factors as weak institutions and governance, political fragility, pervasive and extreme poverty, vulnerability to natural disasters, rapid population growth, urban overcrowding and social and economic inequality. Concerted national effort and international support is required to stop deforestation and land erosion; reduce energy shortages and charcoal dependence; address rural and urban pollution, including the absence of a solid waste collection and recycling system; and strengthen an inadequate capacity to cope with natural disasters.

Iraq at 79, according to the HPI, is a happier place than Norway or Denmark. In my opinion, the report is ill-prepared and skewed to a point of being meaningless. The HPI is a joke.

Goodbye RDF, you have made this a happier planet.  It is human relationships and the quality of a life lived well that makes people happy in ways that we can't really measure.  But your life is to be treasured.

notes from no w here