British people are (less) satisfied with life than many in poorer countries and use too many of the earth's resources, according to a (poll) that ranks Britain 74th in the world below Georgia and Burma.
Rather than (measure) Gross Domestic Product or GDP, the Happy Planet Index or HPI measures life expectancy, happiness and the (environmental) impact of different nations.
The top ten countries are not the (richest) nations but middle income countries in Latin America, Asia or the Carribbean where there is a high level of life (satisfaction) and low carbon footprint.
Costa Rica is the (greenest) and happiest country on the planet, according to the rankings developed by think tank the New Economics Foundation, followed (by) the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.
The UK comes in at 74 out of 143 countries (behind) Georgia at 72. The highest ranking country in the EU was the Netherlands at 43 followed by France at 71 and Germany at 51.
The United States, was ranked at 114, Canada at 89 and Australia at 102. Zimbabwe and other poor African (nations), where life expectancy and happiness is (low), came bottom of the table.
Levels of life satisfaction, calculated from a (worldwide) poll, were not necessarily high in rich countries where violence and (inequality) continue to be a problem.
In the UK the low ranking was largely (due to) social problems and the high carbon footprint of most of the population.
If everyone in the world wanted to live as people do in the UK, it would (require) the resources of more than three earths.
Nick Marks, who devised the rankings, said that there are (still) high levels of inequality in the UK as well as community (breakdown) and unhealthy lifestyles.
"There are a lot of people who are (unhappy) particularly at the lower income end of the spectrum but it is not only financial inequality, it is the longer working week, a lack of (social) cohesion through a sense of belonginess to the (community) or the geographic area, indebtedness, low levels of volunteering and more passive lifestyles," he said.
He urged politicians to pay more attention to life (satisfaction) over GDP.
"The big message of these rankings is that we have to produce a system that makes people happier without (costing) the earth," he said.
Question)
1. What kind of living atmosphere is ideal for you?
2. Which city do you live in? Tell me something about your living conditions and atmosphere.
