About THINKERER
A non-partisan think tank with an attitude.
THINKERER is a non-profit think tank, personally funded and operated by former corporate sustainability executive Michael Manney.
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Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in packaging science from Michigan State University and spent more than a decade at a single Fortune 500 manufacturer of pulp, paper, and paper-based packaging products. During that time, he collaborated with hundreds of the world’s most recognizable companies to develop sustainable packaging solutions through laboratory testing and analysis. He also participated in both technical and non-technical industry associations, founded his company’s sustainability department, and led the development of their net-zero carbon target and strategy.
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In addition, Michael spearheaded forest certification programs under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and Forest Stewardship Council standards. He has extensive experience in greenhouse gas emissions inventories, materiality assessments, climate scenario analysis, and voluntary sustainability reporting. Michael also served as secretary to his company’s board-level sustainability committee.
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Yet during his time in the corporate world, Michael observed that well-intentioned sustainability organizations often cowered to the power of corporate giants—so much so that their “stamp of approval” became little more than a materialistic corporate merit badge, used to entice eco-conscious consumers into mindless consumption.
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Driven by a desire for real change, Michael founded THINKERER to counteract the undue influence of plutocrats who, starting in the 1970s, cemented America’s standing as one of the greatest kleptocracies in modern history. THINKERER challenges the status quo by presenting provocative and novel insights that liberate people from the grip of consumerism. Our mission is to empower individuals to limit corporate power through mindful consumption in the pursuit of self-actualization.
