The Maryland Genuine Progress Indicator; Index for Sustainable Prosperity

The Environmental Sustainability Board had a presentation from Sean McGuire on June 19, 2011 about the index Maryland has adopted to better measure quality of life and productivity in our society.  GPI is in contrast to the GDP that we worship, which measures the total monetary value of all final goods and services produced domestically.  

Called the Genuine Progress Index, the GPI is an index for Sustainable Prosperity and considers Economic Indicators, Environmental Indicators (cost of pollution to water, air, noise, changes to wetlands, farmlands, forest cover, climate, ozone and non-renewable energy) and Social Indicators such as the value of housework, volunteer work, higher education, etc.  See more information at http://www.green.maryland.gov/mdgpi/

Betsy Singer