Local Futures and Happy City are jointly hosting the 18th International Economics of Happiness Conference in Bristol. Participants at these conferences have described them as "an antidote to anger and despair," and as "an inspirational way to light the fuse for a new economy. "We considered strategies that would strengthen and renew Ladakh's local economy and food systems, and thereby address the region's most serious problems. Rebecca Martusewicz, USA Rebecca is a professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Eastern Michigan University. As a dedicated economics nerd, I too am guilty of placing these holy metrics above all else.