• The Challenge and the Goal
• A Question of Direction
• Why We Will Succeed
• Seeds For Change
• Audio Visual Resources

• Things You Can Do
  • At the Personal Level
  • At the Community Level
  • At the Government Level
• "Life, Money & Illusion
  • What the book is about
  • Book Reviews
  • What people are saying
  • Where to find the book
• Touring with the Message
  • Where we are going
  • Where we have been
  • What people are saying
  • Discussion Outline
  • Planning an Event
• Measuring Well-Being
  • History
  • Measuring Genuine Progress
  • Current Program
  • Well-Being Measurement Act
  • Measuring Well-Being document
• Mutual Provision - Economy
  • Economic Concern
  • 3/5ths of Ecology
  • The Invisible Hand
  • Supply and Demand
  • The Genuine Progress Index

• About the Book
• Order the book
• Other writings
• Audio-Visual Material
• Arrange a talk by Mike Nickerson

Bios for Mike Nickerson

Throughout his adult life, Mike Nickerson has been fascinated by how societies evolve. In 1971 he founded the Institute for the Study of Cultural Evolution to look at the problems and solutions that stimulate change, and to learn about the ways in which change takes place. In the early 1970s, when many of today's problems were still projections, Mike sensed that we were beginning what will likely be the greatest transformation of all time.

Looking at the solutions being offered by voluntary and non-profit citizens' groups, Mike became motivated by their collective vision. After assembling common themes from the aspirations and concerns of citizens' groups, the Institute's work culminated with the outline for sustainability upon which Mike's subsequent work has been based.

"Bakavi; Change the World I Want to Stay On" published in 1977, explained the basic goal of sustainability. "Guideposts for a Sustainable Future," an audio-visual discussion kit, was created in 1990 to take the message into classrooms, living rooms, community halls and institutional offices. In 1993 the book from the kit was published in a stand alone edition as "Planning for Seven Generations." From 1997 to 2003, Mike also coordinated work on the "Canada Well-Being Measurement Act." His new book: "Life, Money & Illusion; Living on Earth as if we want to stay," (2006) takes an in-depth look at the customs and economics of transforming society from one based on material expansion to one based on sustainability.

Mike has served on the board of the Ontario Environmental Network, as a public liaison member on the United Counties of Leeds-Grenville Waste Management Planning Process and on the Governing Council of the Green Party of Canada.

Along with his wife, Donna, Mike lives in Eastern Ontario. They have five grandchildren. To support his studies and writing Mike designs and builds custom furniture.


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Short Bio (136 words)

Mike Nickerson has spent 35 years studying cultural evolution and communicating the sustainability message. His writings include: "Bakavi; Change the World I Want to Stay On" (1977), "Let's Talk About Sustainability" (1987), "Planning for Seven Generations" (1993) and the newly released "Life, Money & Illusion; Living on Earth as if we want to stay."

With "Life, Money & Illusion" in hand to provide details, Nickerson is now on a cross country tour introducing the Question of Direction. The program encourages people to think and talk about changing customs and institutions, which aim for and benefit from material expansion, to ones capable of maintaining long-term well-being while decreasing impacts on the planet and each other. Nickerson contends that when, as a society, we wholeheartedly choose the new direction we will find ourselves moving toward a promising future.