Mike DiGirolamo
@mikedigirolamo.bsky.social
Audio journalist @Mongabay. Runner. He/him. Born at 350ppm. 📍Gadigal Land. Fan of birds.
My thoughts: https://mike-digirolamo.ghost.io
My thoughts: https://mike-digirolamo.ghost.io
A former USAID employee saved 60 years of development project data before the Trump administration shut the platform down (which was worth over $30 billion). She speaks to me about what her open source LLM found, and the lessons that could be applied to conservation projects and international aid:
60 years of buried lessons on conservation projects from USAID have been saved
A year ago, U.S. President Donald Trump shut down public access to the Development Experience Clearinghouse, a $30 billion database holding 60 years’ worth of institutional knowledge from more than 15...
news.mongabay.com
February 11, 2026 at 12:56 AM
A former USAID employee saved 60 years of development project data before the Trump administration shut the platform down (which was worth over $30 billion). She speaks to me about what her open source LLM found, and the lessons that could be applied to conservation projects and international aid:
If you're a reporter covering the environment in Australia, @mongabay.com is seeking your pitches. Please see below for what we are looking for:
Australia Biodiversity - Environmental Journalism and Education
Background Australia is often imagined as a continent of open space, with most people clustered along the coast and a vast interior that looks empty on a map. Ecologically, that impression is misleadi...
mongabay.org
February 10, 2026 at 6:59 AM
If you're a reporter covering the environment in Australia, @mongabay.com is seeking your pitches. Please see below for what we are looking for:
“We don’t change our minds usually based on data. We change our minds based on emotion," writer Megan Mayhew Bergman tells me on the @mongabay.com Newscast this week as we discuss the legacy of Rachel Carson's classic, Silent Spring. Listen here:
Writer Megan Mayhew Bergman on science, emotion, and the lasting power of ‘Silent Spring’
It’s been more than half a century since the publication of Silent Spring by the scientist and creative writer Rachel Carson. The seminal volume caught the attention of U.S. presidents, artists and mu...
news.mongabay.com
February 3, 2026 at 10:02 PM
“We don’t change our minds usually based on data. We change our minds based on emotion," writer Megan Mayhew Bergman tells me on the @mongabay.com Newscast this week as we discuss the legacy of Rachel Carson's classic, Silent Spring. Listen here:
“Olive groves hold [a] deep cultural significance that goes far beyond agriculture [and] food production,” my guest on the Newscast says.
Federica Romano discusses how Europe's olive groves can be saved. “Olive trees have symbolized peace, resilience and continuity through thousands of years."
Federica Romano discusses how Europe's olive groves can be saved. “Olive trees have symbolized peace, resilience and continuity through thousands of years."
Europe’s olive grove crisis affects nature & culture, but has solutions
Across Mediterranean Europe, olive groves are in decline from a range of factors, from disease to depopulation. In Italy alone, there are roughly 440 million abandoned olive trees, and the ecological,...
news.mongabay.com
January 27, 2026 at 10:34 PM
“Olive groves hold [a] deep cultural significance that goes far beyond agriculture [and] food production,” my guest on the Newscast says.
Federica Romano discusses how Europe's olive groves can be saved. “Olive trees have symbolized peace, resilience and continuity through thousands of years."
Federica Romano discusses how Europe's olive groves can be saved. “Olive trees have symbolized peace, resilience and continuity through thousands of years."
The week on the Mongabay Newscast I speak with drag artist @pattiegonia.bsky.social. She explains why joy is critical in this moment, and why she feels the environmental movement must prioritize it to succeed.
“If we want people to join this movement, we have to make it freaking fun."
“If we want people to join this movement, we have to make it freaking fun."
Drag artist Pattie Gonia on why nature advocacy needs joy to succeed
Professional drag artist and environmental activist Pattie Gonia has more than 2 million followers on Instagram and has raised $1.2 million for environmental nonprofits by hiking 100 miles, or 160 kil...
news.mongabay.com
January 20, 2026 at 9:28 PM
The week on the Mongabay Newscast I speak with drag artist @pattiegonia.bsky.social. She explains why joy is critical in this moment, and why she feels the environmental movement must prioritize it to succeed.
“If we want people to join this movement, we have to make it freaking fun."
“If we want people to join this movement, we have to make it freaking fun."
Plastic recycling is largely not viable and never has been, but there are clear pathways to solve our plastic pollution crisis, says Judith Enck. She joins me on this week's @mongabay.com Newscast to detail the solutions from her latest book.
Plastic pollution requires urgent action, says author Judith Enck
Judith Enck is a former regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, appointed by President Barack Obama, and the founder of Beyond Plastics, an organization dedicated to eradic...
news.mongabay.com
January 7, 2026 at 4:52 AM
Plastic recycling is largely not viable and never has been, but there are clear pathways to solve our plastic pollution crisis, says Judith Enck. She joins me on this week's @mongabay.com Newscast to detail the solutions from her latest book.
I’m a host and producer for Mongabay’s flagship podcast. We had an immense year, and I couldn’t be more proud of the work we did. My editor @erikhoffner.bsky.social oversaw 44 episodes. Here’s our top ten for the year. I hope you enjoy them:
The top 10 most listened-to podcasts of 2025 from Mongabay
With 2025 drawing to a close, Mongabay’s flagship podcast has added more than 40 episodes over the course of the year. From professors and authors to Mongabay staffers, conservationists and advocates,...
news.mongabay.com
December 28, 2025 at 1:21 AM
I’m a host and producer for Mongabay’s flagship podcast. We had an immense year, and I couldn’t be more proud of the work we did. My editor @erikhoffner.bsky.social oversaw 44 episodes. Here’s our top ten for the year. I hope you enjoy them:
Gregg Treinish didn’t start out as an outdoor enthusiast, but found solace and purpose in nature during his youth. He founded, Adventure Scientists,' using his passion to gather critical data that researchers need for conservation and scientific research. Listen to our conversation @mongabay.com:
How ‘Adventure Scientists’ provide pioneering data for conservation
Gregg Treinish didn’t start out as an outdoor enthusiast, but found solace and purpose in nature during his youth. After years of enjoying the outdoors, he was left feeling a need to give something ba...
news.mongabay.com
December 24, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Gregg Treinish didn’t start out as an outdoor enthusiast, but found solace and purpose in nature during his youth. He founded, Adventure Scientists,' using his passion to gather critical data that researchers need for conservation and scientific research. Listen to our conversation @mongabay.com:
This week on the Mongabay Newscast @philjaco.bsky.social explains how he, @bykarlamendes.bsky.social and @pulitzercenter.org's Kuang Keng Kuek Ser uncovered the fact that state governments in Brazil have been serving shark meat to thousands of public institutions. Listen to full story here:
Brazilian government serves shark to infants, prisoners and more: How Mongabay broke the story
Mongabay senior editor Philip Jacobson joins Mongabay’s podcast to discuss a two-part investigation published this year in collaboration with the Pulitzer Center about how state governments in Brazil ...
news.mongabay.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:21 PM
This week on the Mongabay Newscast @philjaco.bsky.social explains how he, @bykarlamendes.bsky.social and @pulitzercenter.org's Kuang Keng Kuek Ser uncovered the fact that state governments in Brazil have been serving shark meat to thousands of public institutions. Listen to full story here:
Reposted by Mike DiGirolamo
It was a pleasure to speak with @mikedigirolamo.bsky.social on the @mongabay.com podcast to talk about conserving nature and the work we are doing at the Campaign for Nature to advocate for the protection of land and water on the earth. @erikhoffner.bsky.social
news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025...
news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025...
Governments must prioritize nature protection, former US senator Russ Feingold says
Bill Gates recently claimed that protecting nature or improving human health is an either-or choice, but former national leaders like Russ Feingold, a retired U.S. senator, and Mary Robinson, former I...
news.mongabay.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:37 PM
It was a pleasure to speak with @mikedigirolamo.bsky.social on the @mongabay.com podcast to talk about conserving nature and the work we are doing at the Campaign for Nature to advocate for the protection of land and water on the earth. @erikhoffner.bsky.social
news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025...
news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025...
Bill Gates recently claimed that protecting nature or improving human health is an either-or choice, but Russ Feingold, a retired U.S. senator, disagrees. As chair of the Global Steering Committee of the Campaign for Nature, Feingold emphasizes that supporting both nature and people is essential.
Governments must prioritize nature protection, former US senator Russ Feingold says
Bill Gates recently claimed that protecting nature or improving human health is an either-or choice, but former national leaders like Russ Feingold, a retired U.S. senator, and Mary Robinson, former I...
news.mongabay.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Bill Gates recently claimed that protecting nature or improving human health is an either-or choice, but Russ Feingold, a retired U.S. senator, disagrees. As chair of the Global Steering Committee of the Campaign for Nature, Feingold emphasizes that supporting both nature and people is essential.
This week on the Mongabay Newcast Doug Gordon @thewaroncars.bsky.social details the human health and planetary impact of car dependency and how we might get out of it. Wisdom that he, Sarah Goodyear, and Aaron Naparstek detail in their new book 'Life After Cars.' Listen here:
A ‘Life After Cars’ can provide huge human health and environmental benefits
Sarah Goodyear, Doug Gordon and Aaron Naparstek realized that no one was discussing the many cultural factors that have played a role in humanity’s car dependency, or the negative impacts this relianc...
news.mongabay.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:34 PM
This week on the Mongabay Newcast Doug Gordon @thewaroncars.bsky.social details the human health and planetary impact of car dependency and how we might get out of it. Wisdom that he, Sarah Goodyear, and Aaron Naparstek detail in their new book 'Life After Cars.' Listen here:
The European Parliament voted to delay the European Union Deforestation Regulation by yet another year. This landmark anti-deforestation law was supposed to go into effect at the end of 2024. Reporters interested in covering this topic should view @mongabay.com's webinar on how to cover it:
How to Cover the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) | Mongabay Webinars
YouTube video by Mongabay
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:07 AM
The European Parliament voted to delay the European Union Deforestation Regulation by yet another year. This landmark anti-deforestation law was supposed to go into effect at the end of 2024. Reporters interested in covering this topic should view @mongabay.com's webinar on how to cover it:
It's not often I can host a panel with reporters in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka simultaneously. My colleagues joined me to discuss covering climate change in South Asia, and they gave excellent insight that I think is crucial for reporters on this beat.
Watch here @mongabay.com :
Watch here @mongabay.com :
How to Cover Climate change in South Asia | Mongabay Webinars
YouTube video by Mongabay
www.youtube.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:19 AM
It's not often I can host a panel with reporters in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka simultaneously. My colleagues joined me to discuss covering climate change in South Asia, and they gave excellent insight that I think is crucial for reporters on this beat.
Watch here @mongabay.com :
Watch here @mongabay.com :
This week on the Newscast I speak with Nonette Royo, executive director of The Tenure Facility, a group of lawyers that have made progress in securing land rights for local and Indigenous peoples' land covering 34 million hectares, an area larger than Greece.
news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025...
news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025...
Rights to millions of hectares of Indigenous & local communities’ lands restored by ‘barefoot lawyers’
Nonette Royo is a lawyer from the Philippines and executive director of The Tenure Facility, a group of “barefoot lawyers” working to secure land tenure for Indigenous, local and Afro-descendant commu...
news.mongabay.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:31 PM
This week on the Newscast I speak with Nonette Royo, executive director of The Tenure Facility, a group of lawyers that have made progress in securing land rights for local and Indigenous peoples' land covering 34 million hectares, an area larger than Greece.
news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025...
news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025...
Reposted by Mike DiGirolamo
Pangolins, the scaly anteaters that are the most trafficked wild mammals in the world, face a host of challenges throughout their range, including South Asia.
The IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group is working on a global action plan to conserve the species, with subgroups working on regional plans.
The IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group is working on a global action plan to conserve the species, with subgroups working on regional plans.
Protecting pangolins IRL, not just on paper: Interview with conservationist Kumar Paudel
KATHMANDU — Of the eight known species of pangolins found in Asia and Africa, three are listed as critically endangered on the Red List that’s maintained by the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation…
news.mongabay.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Pangolins, the scaly anteaters that are the most trafficked wild mammals in the world, face a host of challenges throughout their range, including South Asia.
The IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group is working on a global action plan to conserve the species, with subgroups working on regional plans.
The IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group is working on a global action plan to conserve the species, with subgroups working on regional plans.
Patricia Wright, a pioneering primatologist who established the Centre ValBio research station in Madagascar, joins the Mongabay Newscast to discuss her conservation breakthroughs and the challenges the island faces.
Listen here @mongabay.com:
Listen here @mongabay.com:
Pioneering primatologist in Madagascar shares decades of conservation wisdom
Patricia Wright, a pioneering primatologist who established the Centre ValBio research station in Madagascar, began her work there in 1986. As the person who first described the golden bamboo lemur (H...
news.mongabay.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Patricia Wright, a pioneering primatologist who established the Centre ValBio research station in Madagascar, joins the Mongabay Newscast to discuss her conservation breakthroughs and the challenges the island faces.
Listen here @mongabay.com:
Listen here @mongabay.com:
Yancoal (Moolarben) is trying to expand a coal mine in New South Wales that would clear 113 hectares of koala habitat if it is approved.
Scientists warn 'critical' koala habitat under threat from mine expansion
Scientists mapping koala habitat in the NSW central west find it is larger than previously thought, but concerns remain over expansion plans at a nearby coal mine.
www.abc.net.au
November 17, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Yancoal (Moolarben) is trying to expand a coal mine in New South Wales that would clear 113 hectares of koala habitat if it is approved.
"Australians are skipping meals," said Foodbank Australia chief executive Kylea Tink.
"They're not knowing what they're going to put in their children's lunch boxes the next day."
20% of the country lives in severe food insecurity:
"They're not knowing what they're going to put in their children's lunch boxes the next day."
20% of the country lives in severe food insecurity:
One in five Australian households 'severely food insecure', report finds
A new report from Foodbank finds 20 per cent of Australian households have skipped meals or days of eating in the year to July.
www.abc.net.au
November 13, 2025 at 8:57 AM
"Australians are skipping meals," said Foodbank Australia chief executive Kylea Tink.
"They're not knowing what they're going to put in their children's lunch boxes the next day."
20% of the country lives in severe food insecurity:
"They're not knowing what they're going to put in their children's lunch boxes the next day."
20% of the country lives in severe food insecurity:
The former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, disagrees with Bill Gates in a commentary for @mongabay.com edited by @erikhoffner.bsky.social.
"His suggestion that the world must choose between financing development or climate action falsely presents a zero-sum situation."
"His suggestion that the world must choose between financing development or climate action falsely presents a zero-sum situation."
No, Bill Gates, we don’t have to choose between people & planet (commentary)
Bill Gates has long been a leading voice in the global response to human health and climate change. His climate investments and advocacy have helped drive innovation, expand access to clean energy and...
news.mongabay.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:04 PM
The former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, disagrees with Bill Gates in a commentary for @mongabay.com edited by @erikhoffner.bsky.social.
"His suggestion that the world must choose between financing development or climate action falsely presents a zero-sum situation."
"His suggestion that the world must choose between financing development or climate action falsely presents a zero-sum situation."
This week on the podcast, I speak with our founder and CEO, @rhettayersbutler.bsky.social who reflects on his longtime friendship with Jane Goodall, being named to the @forbes.com 2025 sustainability leaders list, and being awarded the Henry Shaw Medal. Listen here:
Rhett Butler reflects on recent accolades, and Jane Goodall’s legacy of hope
Hello listeners. This week on the Mongabay Newscast, we ask that you take a few minutes to fill out a brief survey to let us know what you think of our audio reporting, which you can do here. Mongabay...
news.mongabay.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:46 AM
This week on the podcast, I speak with our founder and CEO, @rhettayersbutler.bsky.social who reflects on his longtime friendship with Jane Goodall, being named to the @forbes.com 2025 sustainability leaders list, and being awarded the Henry Shaw Medal. Listen here:
I’ve been hosting the Mongabay Newscast for nearly 3 years. We’ve had some great conversations about the biggest environmental challenges of our time. Myself and @erikhoffner.bsky.social took home an award.
But we want to hear from you. How has the Newscast impacted you?
Tell us: lnkd.in/gKc5AQtg
But we want to hear from you. How has the Newscast impacted you?
Tell us: lnkd.in/gKc5AQtg
October 30, 2025 at 4:20 AM
I’ve been hosting the Mongabay Newscast for nearly 3 years. We’ve had some great conversations about the biggest environmental challenges of our time. Myself and @erikhoffner.bsky.social took home an award.
But we want to hear from you. How has the Newscast impacted you?
Tell us: lnkd.in/gKc5AQtg
But we want to hear from you. How has the Newscast impacted you?
Tell us: lnkd.in/gKc5AQtg
Australia’s “humpback comeback” is making waves globally. Numbers of whales on the east coast have rebounded to an estimated 50,000 from a historic low. Wildlife scientist and whale expert @drvanessapirotta.bsky.social joins me on the podcast this week @mongabay.com to chat about this achievement:
Australia celebrates ‘humpback comeback,’ but a main food source is under threat
News of Australia’s “humpback comeback” is making waves globally. Numbers of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) on the nation’s east coast have rebounded to an estimated 50,000 from a historic l...
news.mongabay.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Australia’s “humpback comeback” is making waves globally. Numbers of whales on the east coast have rebounded to an estimated 50,000 from a historic low. Wildlife scientist and whale expert @drvanessapirotta.bsky.social joins me on the podcast this week @mongabay.com to chat about this achievement:
Reposted by Mike DiGirolamo
The world is deeply unserious about dealing with climate change. We need to reduce emissions by 50% in 5 years and we're nowhere near that.
World’s climate plans fall drastically short of action needed, analysis shows
Recent plans submitted to UN by more than 60 countries would cut carbon by only 10%, a sixth of what is needed
www.theguardian.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:06 AM
The world is deeply unserious about dealing with climate change. We need to reduce emissions by 50% in 5 years and we're nowhere near that.
Reposted by Mike DiGirolamo
The Indigenous Pakayaku in Ecuador’s Amazon have kept mining, logging & oil out of their community's forests for generations
@mongabay.com's reporter visited to meet their 45 women warriors who patrol 99,000 acres of rainforest to detect incursions
Few have been allowed to witness this until now:
@mongabay.com's reporter visited to meet their 45 women warriors who patrol 99,000 acres of rainforest to detect incursions
Few have been allowed to witness this until now:
Indigenous guardians successfully keep extractives out of Ecuador’s Amazon forests
PAKAYAKU TERRITORY, Ecuador — Deep in the heart of Ecuador’s Amazon, where the Bobonaza River winds through ancient forests in Pastaza province, Sacha Gayas spreads out a hand-drawn map across her woo...
news.mongabay.com
October 24, 2025 at 12:42 PM
The Indigenous Pakayaku in Ecuador’s Amazon have kept mining, logging & oil out of their community's forests for generations
@mongabay.com's reporter visited to meet their 45 women warriors who patrol 99,000 acres of rainforest to detect incursions
Few have been allowed to witness this until now:
@mongabay.com's reporter visited to meet their 45 women warriors who patrol 99,000 acres of rainforest to detect incursions
Few have been allowed to witness this until now: