Kristina Zagame

Experience

Kristina is a journalist, editor and content writer with a love for travel and storytelling. Before joining EcoWatch, Kristina was a TV news reporter, anchor and producer, covering a wide variety of topics including West Coast wildfires and hurricane relief efforts.. 

Originally from the greater Boston area, Kristina’s reporting has since taken her all over the U.S., located first in Northwest Missouri and then Southern Oregon. She’s also been on special assignments, including covering Hurricane Maria relief aid in Puerto Rico and reporting on the strengths and struggles of indigenous communities in rural Chile.

While she’s always been a fan of the outdoors and travel, Kristina became increasingly interested in environmental causes after moving to Oregon in 2018 while experiencing first-hand the detrimental effects of wildfires, smoky skies and poor air quality. Shortly after having to evacuate her own home during a 2020 wildfire, Kristina became extra committed to evaluating what changes she could make to slow the effects of climate change and help educate others to do the same.

Kristina has since moved to Nashville and joined the EcoWatch team remotely in an effort to use her journalism skills to reach a broader audience. Her main focus is on issues such as climate change, renewable energy and how to make sustainable living achievable for the every-day American. When she’s not writing or traveling, you’ll find her reading in a Nashville coffee shop, pumping iron in the gym or rocking out to live music.

What got you into journalism?
I’ve been a storyteller for as long as I can remember. While I love creative writing, there’s something so special about meeting and learning from new people and sharing their stories and insight with the world. My goal is always to give others the information they need to make educated decisions for themselves and their families.

What’s your favorite topic to cover?
Probably sustainable living. I think there’s such a stigma that you have to live off-grid in a yurt in the mountains (or something of that nature) to be eco-friendly, and that’s just not true! I think our biggest hope to save the planet is for us to all make small, conscious efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. I hope my articles help readers do just that.

What’s your favorite story you’ve written so far, and why?
My favorite EcoWatch article to write (so far) was the safe sunscreen guide. I learned so much during research and interviews, and many readers reached out to let me know that they did, too! While a lot of the information was discouraging to learn, I think it was extremely important and eye-opening.

What’s been your favorite interview, and why?
My favorite EcoWatch interview (so far) was with Rebekah Carpenter — owner and president of a solar installation company called Fingerlakes Renewables —for a Women in Solar piece. She was wonderfully unapologetic about being a minority in a male-dominated field and is such an inspiration to all women. She gave me so many great quotes I couldn’t even use them all!

In your opinion, why should people care about the environment?
You’ve heard it 1,000 times, but there truly is no Planet B. Every year we’re experiencing worse severe weather and people need to understand that the most beautiful places in the world are at risk of devastation if we don’t work together to combat climate change.