You typically measure the economy by counting when dollars change hands. That’s Gross Domestic Product. That means dollars spent on bad things, like fixing a car after a crash, count the same as good things, like buying a new tricycle for a kid.

One key alternate measure is called the Social Progress Index, which also looks at  health, education, safety, access to information, personal freedom and other measures across the globe.

This year’s index is out as of Thursday morning. We spoke with Michael Green, executive director of the organization that compiles it.

Click the media player above to hear Michael Green in conversation with Marketplace Morning Report host David Brancaccio.