Costa Rica Tops Happiness For Being Green

According a new survey by a British non-environmental group, Costa Rica is one of the happiest places on earth and the most environmental friendly. The New Economics Foundation looked at 143 countries that are home to 99% of the world's population and devised and equation that weighed life expectancy and people's happiness against their environmental impact.

By that formula, Costa Rica is now the happiest and greenest country right ahead of the Dominican Republic. Latin American countries did well in this survey, occupying nine of the top 10 spots. Australia scored third place but other countries did poorly. Britain came in at 74th place and the United States at 114th. Please tell me why I am not surprised....

The New Economics Foundation's measurements found that Costa Ricans have a life expectancy of 78.5 years and 85% of the residents say they are happy and satisfied with their lives. I for one find that good news and am happy for them. Those figures and the fact that Costa Rica has a small ecological footprint combined to push the nation to the top of the list.

A 2006 New Economics Foundation study designated Vanuatu that world's happiest nation with Costa Rica in second place. Sociologist Andrea Fonseca said that Costa Rica gives their citizens the tools to be happy but she also cautioned that happiness can't be calculated just by looking at life expactancy and enviromental practices.

She added that a lot of the country's rise to the top of Happy Planet Index has a lot to do with social imagination. Costa Rica has a peaceful reputation because it doesn't have an army and it's also known for it's protected ecological zones and national slogan, "pure life," she adds.

I'm for one glad that Costa Rica is such a clean place and I hope they keep up the good work. Us on the other hand need a lot of work. It really isn't a surprise that the USA did so bad because how often do a lot of use recycle all the time, not waste resources, take advantage of our energy, and other things? I know I'm not as eco friendly as I could be but us being in 114th place should open our eyes.

- Yahoo Green