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As the economic boom of the last decade of the 20th century gave way to the more uncertain world of our 21st century, quality of life is brought into focus both here and globally. Calvert, the nation's leading investment manager of socially responsible mutual funds, and futurist and author Hazel Henderson are pleased to present the Calvert-Henderson Quality of Life Indicators, a tool to measure national economic, environmental and social trends based on years of research and analysis. The desk reference manual, published in 2000, contains all the base-line data and modeling for each of its 12 Indicators (ordering information below). Regular updates of all Indicators can be accessed at http://www.calvert-henderson.com/.
"All over the county, citizens are demonstrating a desire to engage in serious discussions about quality of life and livable communities. We hope the messages and lessons in this desk reference manual will empower people who are equally concerned about our future together on this planet," says Barbara Krumsiek, President and CEO of Calvert.
"Our goal was to systematically measure and illuminate key aspects of quality of life," explains Hazel Henderson. "This study outlines statistical data trends. We hope it is an invaluable resource for citizens, business and the local officials engage in debates about quality of life."
The Calvert-Henderson Quality of Life Indicators constitute one of the first major analyses of national quality of life using a systems approach. The Calvert-Henderson Quality of Life Indicators provide detailed data and analysis in 12 key domestic sectors, including education, employment, energy, environment, health, human rights, income, infrastructure, national security, public safety, recreation and shelter. Each Indicator was designed in consultation with experts on the Calvert-Henderson Advisory Board and others listed below.
Calvert and Ms. Henderson work closely with the Advisory Board members, all of whom are renowned experts in their respective fields of study. The research was conducted by a multi-disciplinary group of scholars and practitioners from government agencies, for-profit firms and non-profit organizations. These experts agreed with Calvert and Ms. Henderson on the need for more practical and sophisticated metrics to measure societal conditions. Ms. Henderson, a 25-year pioneer in new measures of quality of life, and Calvert's former Director of Social Research John Lickerman guided the effort, in consultation with labor economist Patrice Flynn.
Education: The Indicator describes how learning contributes to the long-term socioeconomic strength of our nation. Advisors: Jill Dianne Swenson, PhD, Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Ithaca College; Dee Dickinson, Director, New Horizons for Learning, Seattle, WA.
Employment: The Indicator examines the structure of paid and unpaid work in the United States. Advisors: Lawrence Mishel, President, Economic Policy Institute, Washington, DC and Patrice Flynn, labor economist.
Energy: The Indicator tracks how efficiently the nation uses its energy resources, otherwise known as "energy intensity." Advisor: John A, "Skip" Laitner, Senior Economist for Technology Policy, Office of Atmospheric Programs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.
Environment: The Indicator reviews air and water quality and describes how human industrial processes affect natural resources and systems. Advisor: Kenneth P. Scott, Social Research Analyst, Walden Asset Management, a division of U.S. Trust Company, Boston, MA.
Health: The Indicator addresses three compelling questions: "Who gets a chance at life?"; "How long will that life last?"; and "How healthy will that life be?" Advisors: Dr. Trevor Hancock, Chair of the Board of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Toronto, Canada; Constance Battle, M.D., Executive Director of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, assisted by Mary Jenifer, internist, Hospital for Sick Children, Washington, DC.
Human Rights: The Indicator provides a holistic framework from which we can begin to evaluate our human rights in the United States. Advisor: Alya Kayal, international human rights analyst with Calvert's social investment research department.
Income: The Indicator focuses on trends in the standard of living as reflected in monetary measures of family income, derived from employment, investments and other sources. Advisor: Lawrence Mishel, President, Economic Policy Institute and co-author of The State of Working America, Washington, DC.
Infrastructure: The Indicator expands our understanding of the vital underpinnings of our economy and society, and includes both public and private sector investments. Advisor: Will Mallett, Principal Research Scientist, Battelle Memorial Institute, Washington, DC.
National Security: The Indicator presents a panoramic model of how the changing goals of and threats to national security link the U.S. Administration, Congress, the defense Industry and the public in an interactive decision-making process. Advisor: Col. Daniel M. Smith, (Ret.) U.S. Army, Senior Fellow, Friends Committee for National Legislation, Washington, DC.
Public Safety: The Indicator explores the leading causes of accidental injury and death, voluntary versus involuntary risks, and helps re-evaluate our national priorities. Advisor: Trudy A. Karlson, PhD, epidemiologist, University of Wisconsin-Madison and co-author of Reducing Firearms Injuries and Death.
Re-Creation: The Indicator examines the array of resources, consumer choices and cultural factors that help us to literally "re-create" ourselves. Advisor: Richard Peterson, PhD, Professor of Sociology, Vanderbilt University, assisted by Carrie Lee, graduate student, also at Vanderbilt.
Shelter: The Indicator examines the range of shelter conditions for Americans, and how access and quality of housing affect educational attainment, job choices and social opportunities. Advisor: Patrick Simmons, Director of Housing Demography, Fannie Mae Foundation, Washington, DC.
It is gratifying to see that the new indicators are being widely used to educate the public; broaden the debate about our quality of life; hold government and business accountable; and clarify the multiple choices we make in our work, education, leisure and civic commitments. They have received wide acclaim in professional circles and have been presented at statistical conferences and official agencies in Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Britain, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand.
The Calvert-Henderson Indicators desk reference manual offers a wealth of information, including:
- Reliable, verifiable national statistics from government and private sources.
- A clear description of the interrelationship of national economic, social and environmental factors.
- Unique models that describe the scope of each domain examined.
- Desktop reference for comprehensive coverage of complex issues, such as the cost of rising energy intensity, handgun design and safety, and income disparity.
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