Institute for Population Studies Debuts "Economics of Happiness" Film

Printer-friendly versionPDF version

New Film Touts 'Going local' as Powerful Strategy to Repair Ecosystems, Societies and Selves. Forces inherent to our economic system have locked us into using GDP as a shorthand measure of economic success. Unfortunately, this metric does not reflect the well-being of most people or the planet, and that has important consequences for public policy decisions that affect us all.

Berkeley, CA, United States, January 30, 2012 - (PressReleasePoint) - The Institute for Population Studies (IPS) and HowMany.org today announced support for the Bay Area premier of "The Economics of Happiness," a new film from the International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC), happening Thursday, February 2, from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. at the Ecology Center in Berkeley.  The film advocates for a shift in our global economic goals and system, away from jobless growth and large-scale business, toward sustainable livelihoods and localized commerce.  An audience Q&A will take place following the film, featuring staff from the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, HowMany.org and ISEC.  Admission to the film is free, though donations are encouraged.  Seating is first-come, first-served.

"Forces inherent to our economic system have locked us into using GDP as a shorthand measure of economic success.  Unfortunately, this metric does not reflect the well-being of most people or the planet, and that has important consequences for public policy decisions that affect us all," said Searle Whitney, IPS President.  "Through discussion of 'slow food' and urban agriculture, or supporting local businesses and the 'Occupy' movements, this film sparks dialogue for positive  economic and social change."
 

The film features some of the most respected thinkers and activists in the worldwide localization movement, including Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, Annie Leonard, Sulak Sivaraksa, Richard Heinberg, Anuradha Mittal, Michael Shuman, Stacy Mitchell, Megan Quinn Bachman, Judy Wicks, Gustavo Esteva, Manish Jain, Helena Norberg-Hodge and more. 
 

Helena Norberg-Hodge, director and producer of the film said, "Economic localization is the key to sustaining biological and cultural diversity - to sustaining life itself. The sooner we shift towards the local, the sooner we will begin healing our planet, our communities, and ourselves."            
 

ISEC will also bring together respected scientists, economists and activists within the localization movement for "The Economics of Happiness" conference at The David Brower Center in Berkeley, March 23 - 25, 2012.  HowMany.org is a conference partner.  For more information, please visit http://www.howmany.org/ and http://www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org/.      

# # #

About HowMany.org:

Contact: Dan Virkstis

              dan@howmany.org