Pre-Processing: We delved into Kaggle datasets spanning from 2005 to the present day, ensuring our analysis encapsulated the essence of happiness across 150 countries, mirroring over 98% of the world's population. Through careful filtering, we established a foundation of entries matching in "Country" and "Year" to drop unnecessary columns where our data did not align due to missing information. Calculating "Per Capita" and "Percent Change per Capita," we omitted the initial row because there was no change. To guide our analysis, we calculated a correlation coefficient of 0.7 between "Log GDP per Capita" and "CO2 Emission per Capita."
Exploratory Analysis: As we navigated the currents of our data, patterns began to emerge from the depths. We unearthed a correlation between the peaks of happiness, as measured by the Life Ladder index, and the bustling activity of industrialization across nations. The Life Ladder, measured by the Cantril Scale, is scored from 0 to 10, with the top representing the best possible life and the bottom of the ladder representing the worst possible life. It measures how a person feels at the time and in the future. Yet, amidst the shimmering progress, we beheld a troubling trend: the CO2 emissions coincided with the descent of the Life Ladder index, casting shadows upon lands such as India. This revelation spurred us to delve deeper into the murky depths, seeking to unravel the tangled web of economic advancement, CO2 emissions, and societal contentment.
Testing Hypothesis: Armed with newfound insights, we ventured to test our hypothesis: can pollution make you happy? Exploring lands where pollution clouded the air and happiness dimmed, we aimed to understand how environmental harm affects joy.
Challenges: In a vast sea of information, locating datasets following similar formatting posed a threat to our time. Specifically, finding years in which datasets corresponded and combining them.
Accomplishments: Our endeavor of constructing a dataset was time-consuming but worthwhile and rewarding. We kept the information we desired and it overall showcased our commitment to tying pollution and happiness together.
Insights: Northern European countries like Finland, Iceland, Switzerland, and Denmark have significantly high life ladders: 7+. In general, we see that lower “CO2 Output per Capita” results in a lower “Life Ladder”: under 7. We discovered that while the march of industrialization heralds prosperity, there is a toll on happiness when intertwined with rising CO2 emissions. There is a correlation coefficient of 0.53 when comparing “AQI” (Air Quality Index) and the “Life Ladder,” indicating a moderate positive correlation between air pollution and happiness. Calculating the correlation coefficient of “AQI” and “Life Expectancy,” we found that it was 0.43, indicating a low correlation. There appears to be a logarithmic graph and upward shifting trend when comparing “Life Ladder” to “CO2 per Capita.” The “Life Ladder” increases rapidly at the start when CO2 emissions increase; however, after a certain threshold, we see a plateau around a “Life Ladder” of 7, suggesting that pollution at a certain point will not make you happy. Yet, amidst the shadows of despair, a glimmer of hope emerged from the depths. The United Kingdom's bold strides in 2016 towards reducing per capita emissions through green, low-carbon development illuminated a path towards a more harmonious future. However, we recognize the urgent need for collective action, emphasizing that achieving environmental equilibrium demands transformative economic policies and unwavering governmental commitment.
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