Articles
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"Degrowth makes you sick": what the data actually says
80% of our longevity is determined by lifestyle, not genes. Societies that consume less often live longer, with better mental health and more meaning. Here is the evidence.
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Briefs
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Six governments are building an economy that measures happiness
The WEGo (Wellbeing Economy Governments) partnership, launched in 2018, brings together Scotland, Iceland, New Zealand, Wales, Finland and Canada around a shared goal: developing public policies that measure wellbeing rather than growth alone.
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Bhutan has been measuring national happiness for 50 years — here are the results
Since the 1970s, Bhutan has replaced GDP with a Gross National Happiness Index covering 9 domains and 33 indicators. The index rose from 0.743 to 0.781 between 2010 and 2022. This small kingdom is experimenting in practice with what other countries debate in theory.
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Shinrin-yoku: the forest as recognised medicine — NK cells and anti-cancer proteins
Recognised as a discipline of preventive medicine in Japan since 2004, forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) is documented by precise physiological measurements: increased NK cell activity and anti-cancer proteins, lower blood pressure, cortisol, anxiety and depression scores.
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Changing your diet at 20 can add more than 10 years to your life expectancy
A study published in PLOS Medicine in 2022 modelled the impact of a sustained dietary change on life expectancy. Switching from a typical Western diet to an optimal diet at age 20 extends life by 10.7 years for women and 13 years for men.
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Everyday cycling: -10% mortality and $435 billion in potential health benefits
If every city raised its cycling network to Copenhagen's level, the global health benefits would amount to around $435 billion per year. That is the finding of a study published in 2025 in PNAS, covering 11,587 cities in 121 countries.
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Two hours a week in nature: a documented threshold for wellbeing
A meta-analysis published in 2025 in Behavioral Sciences — covering 78 studies — confirms that 120 minutes of exposure to nature per week are associated with better perceived health and significantly higher wellbeing. The threshold is achievable, even in cities.
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In Iceland, the shorter working week has become the norm
A follow-up report published in October 2024 confirms it: 86% of Iceland's active population now works fewer hours, or has the right to do so. This is no longer a pilot — it is a public policy that has become firmly established.
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