An Adaptive Path to Effective Journalism on Earth's Threatened Tropical Frontiers
Take a break from the new presidency and meet a journalism hero of mine
I saw the LinkedIn post below from Rhett Butler (no, not the movie character) and feel compelled to share it. Rhett is one of those quiet environmental heroes, in his case stumbling into a journalism path 25 years ago and, year by year, decade by decade, shape shifting his way into building a global nonprofit reporting network tracking wonders, perils and triumphs on under-governed resource frontiers, mostly in the tropics. Mongabay is an essential resource. Support it. Butler has started to garner much-deserved plaudits. (I wrote an endorsing letter for one award.)
Please track his prodigious output on LinkedIn, and especially his reflection here. I particularly appreciate his openness to change. One kind of “narrative capture” many humans suffer from (sure, I’m thinking about me) is not recognizing when our self-made narratives might need to be jettisoned.
Rhett Butler, founder and CEO of Mongabay
When I started Mongabay, it was just a side project—a way to channel my passion for rainforests into something tangible. Like many, I thought I needed a "real job," so I worked in tech while running the website at night and on weekends.
Then something happened: the website started generating revenue. Within six months of adding ads, it was bringing in half of my take-home pay. Suddenly, pursuing my passion full-time felt like a real possibility.
In 2004, I took the leap.
My journey with Mongabay wasn’t about following a traditional path. I didn't have formal training in journalism, but I read voraciously, observing how seasoned journalists crafted their stories. I noticed a gap between advocacy groups, which often told people what to think, and mainstream media, which covered environmental issues sporadically. I saw an opportunity to provide consistent, fact-based coverage that informed rather than prescribed.
In 2012, I took another leap: Shifting Mongabay’s business model to become a non-profit.
Looking back, there were a few guiding principles that helped shape Mongabay's direction:
1/ Empathy over instruction
People don’t want to be told what to do; they want to understand why it matters. My goal was always to connect distant rainforests to everyday lives.
2/ Nuance over simplicity
Environmental issues aren't black and white. For example, palm oil isn't just "bad;" it's a highly profitable crop that thrives because forests are undervalued. Understanding both sides empowers better decisions.
3/ Solutions alongside problems
Yes, the environmental news can be depressing. But there's always agency—people making a difference in meaningful ways. We've intentionally sought out and framed more solution-oriented stories to balance the narrative.
Building Mongabay wasn’t about trying to be something I wasn’t; it was about being open to what it could become. I didn't do extensive market research or follow a blueprint. I just focused on the stories I believed needed to be told.
Today, Mongabay reaches millions, but it started with one person taking a chance.
P.S. If you’re sitting on an idea that excites you, maybe it’s worth exploring. You never know where it might lead.
P.S.S. This post is a recap of a conversation I recently had with Khanh-Linh Lê for her Forest Builders Podcast.
🎙️ Spotify: https://mongabay.cc/iExrFo
🎙️ Apple: https://mongabay.cc/q9rGg4
Also watch this Sustain What conversation from a couple of years ago with Rhett and several other fantastic conservation-focused journalists and one conservation scientist:
Can 8 Billion Humans Save Space for the Rest of Earth's Living Things?
And another favorite journalism enterprise of mine is Global Press:
Keep on keeping on, Rhett Butler and Mongabay, and Cristi Hegranes and Global Press!