Our Projects
UPEC has had four major projects.
We have just released our new white paper, “Utah’s Fertility Decline: Richer Lives for All.”
The Small Families campaign is an ongoing project—www.smallfamilies.us
We’ve done two research and data-based projects (part of what we call our Vital Signs activity):
The Genuine Progress Indicator, and the Utah Ecological Footprint Study.
Utah Vital Signs Studies
Vital Signs are sustainability indicators. The goal of Utah Vital Signs is to empower Utah citizens and decision-makers to make better choices about their future by providing clear, well documented information regarding key indicators of environmental sustainability and quality of life in Utah.
The Utah Ecological Footprint Study was completed in 2007. It integrated data from many agencies and organizations, and calculated how well Utah is sustaining its unique natural heritage and preserving it for future generations. Our research discovered that Utah is living beyond its ecological means, with consumption of resources exceeding nature’s renewable supply. Between 1990 and 2003, Utah went from an ecological surplus of about 27 million acres to an ecological deficit of about 6 million acres. And the deficit is growing rapidly.
The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) Study is an objective quality of life measure. It was completed in January 2011. The GPI is a much better alternative to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that seeks to truly measure the economic well being of society. For more info go here. You can download summary and/or detail report information, and watch informative videos.
The two Vital Signs studies provided a firm foundation for current and future action-directed projects related to UPEC concerns and issues.