We are gathering information about best practices by organizations as they relate to the 9 domains of Happiness. This is a work in progress.  As our project continues, we will gather insprational and interesting examples. These examples are food for thought only. We see these examples as a starting place and are looking forward to the innovations and changes in business that will bring about a sustainable future. If you have information or material you would like to contributte, please send it to us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Environmental quality

IKEA is a global furniture retailer. 
Their environmental efforts include:
•    Phase out PVC(polyvinyl chloride) in all products.  PVC is a endocrine disruptor and damages human and animal health.
•    Goal to reclaim (recycle, reuse or compost) 90% of store waste  where the stores reclaim 67% on average.
•    Encourage 10 percent of the customers around the world to travel to its stores using public transport. IKEA partnered with Flexcar in San Francisco so people can use trucks to take their furniture home. Source: Sustainable Industries Journal, July 2006

ECOtality makes and installs electric car charging stations. They work with car manufacturing companies including Nissan, GM, Tesla, Toyota and Honda, that  plan to sell electric vehicles. ECOtality got help from Federal Stimulus funds from the U.S. Department of Energy to put in charging stations in California. Source: Sustainable Industries Journal, July 2010

Solazyme makes renewable fuels and food. Their products are made with a proprietary algae. Their algae-based diesel fuel can be mixed with other diesel or gas and used by standard trucks and cars. They also produce an algae based airplane fuel and are developing an algae-based “biocrude-oil.” Their fuels reduce GHG emissions by up to 93% and are much cleaner than diesel and gasoline.   Their algae-based foods are used as vegetarian protein in the health food markets.

This is an incomplete list Please send us suggestions of best practices to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Education

Sustainable Commercial Urban Farm Incubator teaches people how to run urban farms in San Francisco.  In 2009, they received a $50,000 grant from the City of San Francisco to start the program. They teach people to farm under-used land, such as vacant lots and produce local edible food that they donated to a food bank or sell at local farmers markets.  SCUFI aims at a proliferation of neighborhood where urban farms where the proceeds from produce are sold locally and sustain the farm financially. Source: Sustainable Industries Journal, July 2010.

This is an incomplete list Please send us suggestions of best practices to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Material wellbeing

E-square is a small Japanese consulting aims to create a ”sustainable economy.” Their mission statement is:  “We are convinced that a future in which myriads of living?beings coexist on this Earth while all people enjoy a prosperous life?is created through the choices we make today.??We are determined to lead the way in building a bridge to this?future society brimming with hope and opportunity.” They work with business clients to address global warming, biodiversity and Base Of the Pyramid (BOP) business opportunities. E-Square addresses the problems where the world ‘s population is about 7 billion and about 4 billion people live on less than $3000 per year. They provide training for the future leaders and business management transformation, research of BOP business opportunities, and formation of business strategy. Source:  www.e-squareinc.com/about/index.html, www.e-squareinc.com/english/index.html, www.e-squareinc.com/reports/pub_pdf/SNNpaper4.pdf

Shigeru Ban Architects is a small firm in Japan with projects around the world. Shigeru Ban, the founder, uses low cost materials including paper and reclaimed products to construct homes and other buildings.  His innovative architectural projects using paper tubes have been used for reconstruction in natural and man-man disaster zones. His paper log houses were used by the United Nations for refugee housing in Turkey and Rwanda, In 2010, he went to Haiti ands worked with Haitian students to make shelters using material that they could get locally. Sources: http://spacecityseattle.org/?p=520 www.time.com/time/innovators/design/profile_ban.html

This is an incomplete list Please send us suggestions of best practices to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Mental health

Material coming!

This is an incomplete list Please send us suggestions of best practices to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Physical health

Material coming!

This is an incomplete list Please send us suggestions of best practices to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Time balance

Material coming!

Cultural vitality

Johannesburg Housing Company (JHC) is a non-profit founded in 1994 that develop social housing in inner cities. Their developments include neighborhood gathering places and community events. The organization’s three main goals are to improve (1) the buildings where people live, (2) quality of life, and (3) neighborhoods. Their projects bring racial and social diversity as well as safety to neighborhoods. Thee eKhaya Neighborhood Programme is recognized as an international best practice by the UN Habitat Program.  With this program, JHC bring together landlords work together to improve neighborhoods. The benefits to landlords and neighbors include increased property values, jobs, energy and water savings, social inclusion, community vitality, individual empowerment and capacity building. and overall sustainable development of the community. Sources: www.knowledge.insead.edu/SouthAfricaSocialHousing.cfm?vid=201, www.jhc.co.za/files/file/JHC%202009%20Annual%20Report1_0.pdf,  www.jhc.co.za/files/file/JHC%202009%20Annual%20Report2_0.pdf, www.jhc.co.za/files/file/JHC%202009%20Annual%20Report3_0.pdf, www.profica.co.za/Portals/47/docs/JHC%20Article.pdf, affordablehousinginstitute.org/blogs/za/?p=75, www.growsouthafrica.org/News/TempNew/AllnbspNews/ArticleDetails/tabid/420/ItemID/1329/View/Details/Default.aspx, asenetwork.net/site/?page_id=685 

Social connection

Material coming!

Governance

More material Coming!