An article on a different approach for valuing economies of countries around the world, called the Happy Planet Index that includes ecological footprint. Costa Rica is #1. US is #114 out of 143. Here's an article on it: Published on Sunday, July 5, 2009 by the Observer/UK Costa Rica is World's Greenest, Happiest Country Latin American nation tops index ranking countries by ecological footprint and happiness of their citizens by Ashley Seager http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/07/05-0 The original study is worth reading, and contains a plug for Green Parties: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/ David