SUSTAINABLE HAPPINESS WEEK, 2013
Executive Summary
This paper encourages the celebration of Pursuit of Happiness Day (Saturday,
April 13, 2013) in US communities, workplaces and universities, followed by a
week of attention to issues of “sustainable well-being” and leading up to the
celebration of Earth Day on Saturday, April 20th. The week’s activities will be
based on “domains” of well-being identified by the country of Bhutan, and global
happiness researchers.
Background
Interest in measuring and promoting well-being or happiness, instead of simply increases in
Gross Domestic Product, is galvanizing people around the world.
1. The Gallup-Healthways organization polls happiness in the US on a daily basis, and,
annually, in 150 other countries.
2. The science of happiness has exploded in universities around the world. The most
popular class at Harvard is now a class about happiness, from which hundreds of
students are turned away each year due to demand.
3. Business leaders like Tony Hsieh are coming to understand the great importance of wellbeing in the workplace.
4. The United Kingdom has launched Action for Happiness Day to great fanfare, and its
Prime Minister announced that the UK would publish a happiness index with quarterly
GDP figures.
5. Cities and universities in Brazil have launched happiness campaigns as has the city of
Victoria, BC.
6. In the US, the Seattle-based Happiness Initiative is leading a campaign that includes a
well-being survey (http://happycounts.org/survey/GNH/) now being used in many
communities.
In July of 2011, the United Nations passed a unanimous declaration urging member nations to
place “The Pursuit of Happiness” rather than economic growth at the forefront of their
development agendas, and to find ways to measure their success. On April 2, 2012, 800 people
from around the world gathered at the UN for the first “high level meeting on happiness and wellbeing.” Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley of Bhutan set the tone:
The time has come for global action to build a new world economic system that is
no longer based on the illusion that limitless growth is possible on our precious
and finite planet or that endless material gain promotes well-being. Instead, it will
be a system that promotes harmony and respect for nature and for each other;
that respects our ancient wisdom traditions and protects our most vulnerable
people as our own family, and that gives us time to live and enjoy our lives and to
appreciate rather than destroy our world. It will be an economic system, in short,
that is fully sustainable and that is rooted in true, abiding well-being and
happiness.
Since then, various groups of experts and laypersons have begun moving forward to realize the
goal. In order to promote the concept, the United Nations has declared March 20th to be
“International Happiness Day.” Observation of this event will take place at the UN and around the
world.
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In addition to the International Day of observation, communities, workplaces and colleges in the
United States will celebrate “Pursuit of Happiness Day” on April 13, followed by a week of focus
on sustainable well-being, and ending with Earth Day. The synchronicity of dates between
Pursuit of Happiness Day and Earth Day allows for a larger focus on the issues involved in
pursuing a high quality of life that is sustainable for future generations, highlighting the UN call for
a new economic paradigm. It will bring enormous media attention and greater public awareness
to the need for a different kind of global economic thinking.
Pursuit of Happiness—an American ideal
Thomas Jefferson’s birthday is a particularly appropriate day to celebrate happiness because
Jefferson authored the “pursuit of happiness” line in our Declaration of Independence, and even
called happiness “the sole orthodox purpose of government.”
The date falls precisely a week before Earth Day in 2013 (and about a week before in most years,
allowing for the time in between to be focused on the concept of sustainable happiness, as
promoted by the United Nations. And finally, unlike March 20th, which falls during spring break on
most campuses and while much of the northern US is still too cold for outdoor celebrations, April
13th is a good time for most colleges and marks some of the first warm spring weather in many
northern US states.
On Friday, April 13, 2012, Jefferson’s birthday was first celebrated as Pursuit of Happiness Day
(PHD). The Governor of Vermont formally recognized the day and it was celebrated at the
Universities of Iowa and Central Missouri and in several American communities. In 2013, we
hope to see Pursuit of Happiness Day honored by public officials, communities and colleges and
universities throughout the United States.
It should be understood that this date is not chosen to lionize Jefferson, whose personal failings
and contradictions, particularly in regards to slave ownership, have been frequently documented
in recent years. Nonetheless, Jefferson’s ideals, if not his actions, have inspired many to work for
freedom and human rights around the world. Celebrating Pursuit of Happiness Day on his
birthday offers a chance for students and other citizens to explore the contradictions in our
heritage as well as its noble ideals, to understand where all of us fall short of living those ideals,
and to pledge “our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor” (again in Jefferson’s words) to
building a happier, more fair and more sustainable society.
The Settings for Celebration: Campuses, Workplaces and Communities
US campuses offer a particularly useful setting for a nationwide Pursuit of Happiness Day and a
week of sustainable happiness activities and “teach-ins” leading up to Earth Day. The
universities were the launching pad for the first enormously successful Earth Day in 1970. New
technologies make possible televised linkages between campuses. Students have the time and
desire to create events like this, with support from interested faculty.
Moreover, and sadly, counselors at American universities have witnessed a major increase in
depression in recent years—at Cornell University, six students committed suicide in one recent
year alone. Pressures on students are taking a toll. The Happiness Initiative survey finds lowest
scores among the age 19-24 cohort. A focus on what they can do to improve their lives and their
happiness is an imperative today.
Many campus events tend to focus on problems—global warming, for example. But too much
bad news leaves many of us immobilized and unable to act effectively. We need a vision of the
future that can sustain active citizenship. Sustainable happiness is a subject that allows nearly all
disciplines on campus to participate and contribute their knowledge to teach-ins and celebrations.
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The Domains of Happiness
Happiness scientists, working for the United Nations in the Kingdom of Bhutan, have identified
nine essential domains of happiness. Neglect of any of these ultimately reduces personal and
social well-being. Here are the domains, and, for universities, the academic departments
connected with them that could be encouraged to participate in Sustainable Happiness Week
activities leading up to Earth Day:
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Psychological Well-Being: psychology, pharmacy, theology
Health: Public health, medicine, physical education
Time Balance: Leisure and Recreation, Theology, Management, Information Technology
Education: Education, Library Science, Information Technology, Communications,
English, Philosophy
Social Vitality: Sociology, history, urban design, architecture, social work, IT
Cultural Vitality: Art, music, drama, Recreation, Languages, Anthropology, Ethnic and
Gender Studies, Geography, religious studies
Governance: Political Science, Public Policy, International Studies
Environment: Environmental Science, Ecological Economics, Biology, Meteorology,
Agriculture, Engineering
Material Well-Being: Economics, Business, Labor Studies, Social Work, Agriculture,
Architecture, Engineering, Finance
Gallup has identified another domain that seems essential for well-being—Workplace
Satisfaction, which would involve Business, Labor Education, psychology and other disciplines.
Inter-disciplinary teams could work together to share insights and create a full week of learning
activities and opportunities for student engagement, service learning and so forth.
Key campus activities for the week
1. The events should include substantive information and serious consideration of the
subject of sustainable happiness, but will be enhanced by festive activities, planned by
student teams.
2. Students would be encouraged to take The Happiness Initiative survey
(www.happycounts.org) and colleges would be provided with unique Web addresses
allowing them to receive aggregate scores for discussion, with the idea of increasing
happiness scores on each campus, and a sharing of “best practices.”
3. A pre-recorded video of insights from happiness scholars could be shown campus-wide,
followed by small group “World Café” style discussions or “happiness circles.”
4. A handbook could be created and distributed with insights on improving personal
happiness, including a focus on generosity and community participation.
5. Events could illustrate these themes—a volunteer activity at a food bank, home building
with Habitat for Humanity, for example.
6. University libraries can provide displays of happiness books and other resources.
7. Faculty and students can organize for-credit elective classes. These might include
planning projects for the event. Students in many classes can be encouraged to engage
in projects, papers and research leading up to the event.
8. Prominent campus scholars can take their knowledge into the local communities to make
presentations. These communities would be encouraged to conduct their own
Sustainable Happiness Week celebrations.
9. International students can be encouraged to present ideas for improving well-being from
their own countries (eg. Bhutan).
10. Pursuit of Happiness events can be extended to include high school students and entire
communities, as was the case with the first Earth Day.
11. Students and faculty will be encouraged to help plan the entire week of activities—see a
suggested template for this later in this document.
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12. Social networking tools can help spread the idea widely and media interest in the day is
virtually guaranteed.
13. The events of Pursuit of Happiness Day should lead to action for positive change.
The focus should be on the personal, social and policy dimensions of happiness, and the aim
should be to get students more engaged with each other, their colleges, their local communities
and national issues. The Happiness Initiative will offer tool kits for campus, workplace and
community use in planning Happiness Week activities.
A national membership organization can be created to bring in early funding to begin the project
and businesses and foundations would be asked for sponsorships and other support, much at the
local level.
Community Events
The event is not limited to colleges. We hope that cities throughout the United States will also
celebrate this day and week, and that it will even become popular around the world. Cities (or
states) might include proclamations by public officials such as the one by the governor of
Vermont. They should create partnerships among businesses and non-profits that are working
on various domains of well-being. Here are some examples:
1. Psychological Well-Being: mental health clinics, counseling centers, psychological
associations, yoga, faith communities
2. Health: Public health departments, hospitals, medical associations, fitness clubs
3. Time Balance: Parks departments, Communities of Faith, Labor unions, HR associations
4. Work Satisfaction: Labor Unions, HR departments, associations of Human Resource
professionals
5. Education: Public Libraries, Schools, Education departments
6. Social Vitality: Rotary and other service organizations, community organizations,
religions organizations, social justice groups
7. Cultural Vitality: Museums, theaters, performing groups and organizations, art programs
8. Governance: City and county councils, public agencies
9. Environment: Environmental businesses, Sierra Club and other environmental
organizations, city energy and water departments, departments of Ecology, parks
departments
10. Material Well-Being: Businesses, Labor Unions, Realtors, Bank, Credit Unions,
Consumer Credit Counseling, food banks, homeless shelters
Libraries, schools and community centers can be foci for these activities. Libraries in particular,
can promote the week with book displays, speakers, internet connections to the Happiness
Survey and other resources. Libraries now see themselves as civic engagement centers and this
is a perfect activity for them.
Workplace activities
Gallup has noted the importance of secure and meaningful work to happiness. Businesses
should devote some time during the week to conversation about improving job quality, worker
participation and employee compensation. Businesses must begin to find ways to promote a
different “bottom line”—the triple bottom line of financial success, community and stakeholder
well-being and ecological sustainability. This week provides a perfect opportunity for such a
conversation and might well include the presentation of awards to businesses which promote
sustainable happiness among their employees, customers and communities.
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Suggested structure for Sustainable Happiness Week activities
Friday, April 12: Proclamations of Pursuit of Happiness Day by public officials.
Saturday, April 13:
Pursuit of Happiness Day events—celebrations, exhibits, library
activities, etc.
Sunday, April 14:
Communities of faith focus on compassion, altruism, generosity,
spirituality. TED X talks on Sustainable Happiness in afternoon in many
communities.
Monday, April 15:
Economic well-being. Tax Day. Focus on economic justice and security.
Volunteering in shelters, food banks.
Tuesday, April 16:
Health and Mental Health. Activities led by schools of public health,
HMOs, mental health clinics. Discussions of health care system and
comparisons with other models and results.
Wednesday, April 17:
Access to education. Arts, Culture and Recreation. Activities in schools
and focus on improving education. Free music or arts events. Museum
promotions. Free zoo admissions and park events.
Thursday, April 18:
Community and Governance. Volunteering events. Community world
cafes. How can we improve trust in government? Building local
communities through local economies, local food, festivals, etc.
Improving personal social supports. Block parties.
Friday, April 19:
Time balance and work satisfaction. Long lunches in businesses and
non-profits with discussions of work-life balance. Shorter work day and
late afternoon celebrations. Games, fun in workplace.
Saturday, April 20:
Environment. Earth Day observed. Earth Day activities.
Sunday, April 21:
Communities of faith focus on environmental stewardship. TED X talks in
communities on sustainable happiness.
All Week:
Film screenings, yoga, meditation, nature walks, volunteer activities
Media Attention
The energy and diversity of activities generated by Sustainable Happiness Week offer huge
possibilities to win media attention to the goal of a new economic paradigm based on sustainable
well-being. A much smaller event, the first Take Back Your Time Day in 2003, generated some
500 separate media pieces, including op-eds and articles in the New York Times, the Los
Angeles Times, MSNBC, CNN, USA Today and other outlets. Students and community activists
can be encouraged to write op-eds on various aspects of sustainable well-being for local
newspapers and provide guests for TV and radio talk shows. An intensive media campaign will
draw significant national attention to the need for a new economic paradigm based on sustainable
well-being rather than endless growth.
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Sponsorships
Like Earth Day, Pursuit of Happiness Day and the week that follows offer great opportunities for
corporate sponsorships and active business participation. Many companies are seeking to attach
their brands to the issues of happiness and sustainability and this event will offer them real
opportunity. Of course, organizers will need to be selective in choosing corporate sponsors.
Criteria should include a presence in local communities, a useful and sustainable product, a
history of good labor and environmental practices and willingness to actively promote the event.
One example might be a company like Starbucks, which has local stores in nearly every
community, seeks to promote interaction between people and meaningful conversation and has
been known for its recent sustainability initiatives to protect rain forests and tropical ecosystems
and its purchase of large amounts of Fair Trade coffee. Starbucks stores might provide
happiness/sustainability resources, encourage patrons to take the Happiness Initiative and sell
ancillary products such as cups and T-shirts related to Pursuit of Happiness Day. Sponsorship
income should be divided between local communities and the national Sustainable Happiness
Week organization, with most going to enhance local activities.
Your input is needed
In the next few weeks we will be collecting input and feedback on this idea, and lining up
commitments to participate. Development of the project idea will continue through fall and winter.
Please reply to: John de Graaf jodg@comcast.net
Our Team
John de Graaf, Take Back Your Time
Laura Musikanski, The Happiness Initiative
Maureen Wilt, University of Central Missouri
David Gould, University of Iowa
Barbara Brock, Central Washington University
Tom Barefoot, GNH USA, Vermont
Kimberly King, The Peace Company, Charlottesville, VA
Daniel Holland, marketing professional, Seattle
Mei Lin Fung, consultant, Palo Alto, CA
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