Rhett Butler, the founder and CEO of Mongabay, has been named to the 2025 Forbes Sustainability Leaders List, which honors individuals making significant contributions to combatting the climate crisis. Butler's journey began 25 years ago after a transformative experience in a Borneo rainforest, which inspired him to establish Mongabay from his California apartment. Today, Mongabay operates as a global newsroom with around 1,000 contributors across more than 80 countries, focusing on delivering credible environmental information. Unlike traditional media, Mongabay prioritizes meaningful outcomes over clicks, engaging directly with policymakers and communities. Their initiatives, such as the story transformer project, aim to enhance access to information for frontline communities. Mongabay's reporting has led to tangible victories in environmental protection, including the revocation of permits for companies involved in illegal deforestation in Gabon and Peru. Butler emphasizes the importance of storytelling in driving real-world change.