“At 17, I lived in Nicaragua to show solidarity with the Sandinista socialist revolution. At 23 I raised money for Guatemalan women's cooperatives. In my early 20s I lived in the semi-Amazon doing research with small farmers fighting land invasions. At 26 I helped expose poor conditions at Nike factories in Asia.”

American political activist and writer, born in Colorado

Michael D. Shellenberger is an American political activist and writer associated with ecomodernism. Born in Colorado, he earned degrees in peace and anthropology in the 1990s and later became known for his heterodox views. After founding public relations firms, he co-founded the ecomodernist think tank Breakthrough Institute in 2003. His writing and commentary have drawn criticism from scientists and others for errors in reporting, his stance on climate change, and what some have described as anti-green contrarianism.