Happy Americas Index

The Happy Americas program is applying the techniques and formulae of the Happy Planet Index, developed by the New Economics Foundation, to the American continent – as well as to individual US states. 
 
The index is a measure of ecological efficiency, which shows what resources people need to produce long and happy lives. This strips the economy back to its absolute basics: what goes in (natural resources) and what comes out (human lives of different lengths and happiness). 
 
When the first Index was published in 2006, it was downloaded over a million times around the world. It takes a radically different approach to defining progress.
 
If well-being is the ultimate objective and planetary resource use as the fundamental input, the Index can set out the purpose of economics as delivering high levels of well-being within the constraints of equitable and responsible resource consumption – and will measure different nations and states of the Americas according to their ability to achieve this.        
 
Resources for Other U.S.-based Alternative Metric Projects:
 
Center for Sustainable Economy
The Center's work on progress indicators seeks to move away from GDP and profit-based metrics through tools that better evaluate how well governments, businesses, schools and other organizations are truly advancing overall well-being.
 
The Real Wealth Public Policy Project
Seeks to expand analysis of new legislation or public programs by examining their impact on "real wealth," including effects on health, education, equality, human capacity development, and other quality of life indicators.
 
Sustainable Measures
A private consulting firm for government, businesses, and community organizations to pursue sustainability through appropriate indicators and consequent evaluation. Sustainable Measures' President Maureen Hart (along with Center for Sustainable Economy's President and Senior Economist Dr. John Talberth) co-authored Beyond GDP: The Need for New Measures of Progress, an academic paper produced through Boston University's Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer Range Future. 
 
Pocantico Statement on the Need for National Indicators of Sustainability for the United States of America
Results of a 2002 meeting at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund's Pocantico Conference Center in Tarrytown, NY, discussing the development of new measures of sustainability.
 
Sustainable Seattle
Their Happiness Initiative provides a comprehensive assessment of Seattle residents' well-being, seeking to make Seattle the first "Gross National Happiness City."
 
Jacksonville Community Council, Inc.
A "citizen think tank" exploring well-being through community indicators such as its "Quality of Life Progress Report," community engagement, and consulting services for other communities or cities seeking to pursue a similar indicator project.