Investing in nature gives industry and business a competitive advantage.–World Economic Forum, September 7, 2021 The case as to why investing in nature is a sensible business proposition is made here. As more and more industry leaders understand that nature and economics are inextricably linked, the next business frontier lies at the intersection of climate change and biodiversity. It will entail: (1) changing the measures of growth,…
By Thierry Malleret, economist The pandemic has exposed and exacerbated a distinct pattern of “air pollution inequity.” In the US, for example, PM2.5 exposure (fine, inhalable particles with serious health consequences) is disproportionately caused by the consumption of goods and services by white Americans but disproportionately inhaled by Black and Hispanic minorities. According to a paper published in 2019 by the US National Academy of Sciences, white Americans benefit from a major “pollution advantage”: They experience 17% less air pollution…
How the pandemic has increased the importance of all kinds of wellness for consumers has been much discussed. For the sake of proving the case of “wellness expansion,” let’s just take fitness—one of the sectors hit the hardest by the pandemic. The major fitness researcher IHRSA reported this summer that during the pandemic, 22% of all fitness facilities globally closed permanently–(and they document the market declines for every global region). But in large…
One challenge in making a case for wellness real estate and communities is a lack of metrics that measure the diverse benefits for residents—crucial data for developers and investors. To remedy this, the GWI has created a dashboard of elements to measure in surveys and studies—from how the community supports behavior change to how they foster a sense of community and belonging. Read more about…
“Inconspicuous Consumption” Is Rising and Driving Growth for the Wellness Industry By Thierry Malleret, economist The joint forces of the pandemic and the climate crisis have accelerated a trend already brewing below the surface for some years: the rise of inconspicuous consumption. Nowadays, conspicuous consumption (i.e., buying expensive stuff for signaling) is often seen as vulgar, at least in the Western world, and is increasingly…
We’ll Give You a Week Off. Please Don’t Quit–New York Times, September 6,2021 With more employees seeking companies that put wellness first, more companies are trying to combat the rising burnout from working remotely by offering more time off and other big perks. Call it “Operation Chillax.” Digital Addictions Are Drowning Us in Dopamine–Wall Street Journal, August 13, 2021 Rising rates of depression and anxiety…
