Honoring Happiness: What Bhutan, a Cowboy Hat, and the Economy Have in Common

From the moment she took the stage, smiling in a black cowboy hat and turquoise scarf, I knew I was in for a great talk. In October 2012, I had the pleasure of attending a Hunter Lovins lecture at California College of the Arts in San Francisco. She is a charismatic sustainability leader.

Lovins, the president and cofounder of Natural Capitalism Solutions, was named a Time Magazine “Hero of the Planet” in 2000, and is author and co-author of numerous books, including the groundbreaking work, Natural Capitalism, and most recently, Climate Capitalism: Capitalism in the Age of Climate Change. Lovins’ delivery was insightful and I left with a richer understanding of social and environmental responsibility in business. I was surprised, however, by two unexpected lessons that stayed with me after the applause ended.

First, Lovins put the power of change into our hands. No one in the audience was exempt from responsibility. She engaged the audience and demonstrated the influence a single person can have. This individual power was distilled down to the daily choices we each make and how these choices make a difference in our communities and the world. To become conscious of your choices you needed to become conscious of your statement.

What does happiness have to do with sustainability?

The second theme grew more slowly into a complete concept. It was the kind of idea that you find yourself mulling over late at night. Lovins proposed happiness as a determinant of wealth both alongside, and in place of, monetary wealth. I smiled and wondered, “What does happiness have to do with sustainability?”

http://www.triplepundit.com/2013/05/what-does-happiness-have-to-do-with-sustainability/