Venus Bivar
@vbivar.bsky.social
Historian of capitalism, pollution, Marseille, farming, land use, plastics, climate, and economic growth; misanthrope; hockey player; expert baker; amateur gardener; works at St Anne's College at Oxford 🇨🇦; lives in York
Reposted by Venus Bivar
Sometimes it just feels like we are all eggs being broken for someone else’s omelette.
November 13, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Sometimes it just feels like we are all eggs being broken for someone else’s omelette.
A fox was interested in the feral cats that live on the grounds of @stannescollege.bsky.social. At one point they approached and sniffed one of the kitties who then whipped around and hissed. The fox retreated (this is when I snapped the pic) but remained interested. It was all most excellent.
November 11, 2025 at 7:17 PM
A fox was interested in the feral cats that live on the grounds of @stannescollege.bsky.social. At one point they approached and sniffed one of the kitties who then whipped around and hissed. The fox retreated (this is when I snapped the pic) but remained interested. It was all most excellent.
Love this so much.
Hoping this helps our colleagues across the industry
November 10, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Love this so much.
Another water company polluting with impunity. In other words, another average day in the UK.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
‘Environmental catastrophe’ fears as millions of plastic beads wash up on Camber Sands
MP asks for explanation from Southern Water amid concerns the spill could have dire impact on rare sea life
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Another water company polluting with impunity. In other words, another average day in the UK.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
For anyone tempted to watch House of Dynamite, don't do it. I want that hour and a half of my life back. It was SO bad. What a horrendous piece of propaganda for the American military machine.
a picture of a cat with the words all that wasted time above it
ALT: a picture of a cat with the words all that wasted time above it
media.tenor.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:10 AM
For anyone tempted to watch House of Dynamite, don't do it. I want that hour and a half of my life back. It was SO bad. What a horrendous piece of propaganda for the American military machine.
Reposted by Venus Bivar
Here's this week's roundup of under-reported news from Palestine, Israel, the Middle East and North Africa:
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
2025-11-07 - Rida Abu Rass
News from Israel, Palestine, and MENA: November 7, 2025
ridaaburass.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Here's this week's roundup of under-reported news from Palestine, Israel, the Middle East and North Africa:
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
No words for how much I enjoyed the Arctic extravaganza with brdemuth.bsky.social, lalinepaull.bsky.social, ymalhi.bsky.social, klausdodds.bsky.social, clairewarrior.bsky.social, mendelight.bsky.social, and other brilliant people not on BlueSky. Bjorn, the polar bear puppet was pure joy.
November 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM
No words for how much I enjoyed the Arctic extravaganza with brdemuth.bsky.social, lalinepaull.bsky.social, ymalhi.bsky.social, klausdodds.bsky.social, clairewarrior.bsky.social, mendelight.bsky.social, and other brilliant people not on BlueSky. Bjorn, the polar bear puppet was pure joy.
Reposted by Venus Bivar
ok once again I'm up far too early so my entire TL is US politics
but!
this tactically brilliant and emotionally true video restored a chunk of my faith in humans doing the right *and smart* thing without needing to be a hero
by @cantwinvictoryfund.bsky.social
via @charlottegarden.bsky.social
but!
this tactically brilliant and emotionally true video restored a chunk of my faith in humans doing the right *and smart* thing without needing to be a hero
by @cantwinvictoryfund.bsky.social
via @charlottegarden.bsky.social
I've seen this go by a few times on TikTok now and I have to say, I love this idea. We need a way to convince people to keep running even if they don't win, maybe building the loss into it as a troll move is the secret.
November 6, 2025 at 6:40 AM
ok once again I'm up far too early so my entire TL is US politics
but!
this tactically brilliant and emotionally true video restored a chunk of my faith in humans doing the right *and smart* thing without needing to be a hero
by @cantwinvictoryfund.bsky.social
via @charlottegarden.bsky.social
but!
this tactically brilliant and emotionally true video restored a chunk of my faith in humans doing the right *and smart* thing without needing to be a hero
by @cantwinvictoryfund.bsky.social
via @charlottegarden.bsky.social
This about sums it up.
November 5, 2025 at 7:16 AM
This about sums it up.
I'll be very tired come Thursday evening, but also very very intellectually satisfied.
Big week at the Environmental Humanities Hub! On Tuesday, @vbivar.bsky.social will be interviewing @alybatt.bsky.social at Blackwells about her new book on capitalism and nature. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alyssa-bat...
Alyssa Battistoni FREE GIFTS with Venus Bivar
A timely new critique of capitalism's persistent failure to value nature.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 3, 2025 at 4:11 PM
I'll be very tired come Thursday evening, but also very very intellectually satisfied.
Reposted by Venus Bivar
I'm all about finding the bright spots these days.
After years of exploitation and struggle, Bangladesh is giving its elephants a second chance. A new government project aims to free the country’s captive giants, once forced into circuses, tourist rides, or back-breaking labor, and return them to the wild. https://ow.ly/4gtq50Xk8Q4
From Chains To Forests: Working Elephants Set To Be Rehabilitated In The Wild Under New Project
The country has dozens of captive elephants in zoos and circuses, while many more are forced into back-breaking labor.
ow.ly
October 30, 2025 at 4:52 PM
I'm all about finding the bright spots these days.
Very much looking forward to talking to @alybatt.bsky.social about her new book on capitalism and nature next Tuesday in Oxford. If you're in town, come join us!
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alyssa-bat...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alyssa-bat...
Alyssa Battistoni FREE GIFTS with Venus Bivar
A timely new critique of capitalism's persistent failure to value nature.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 29, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Very much looking forward to talking to @alybatt.bsky.social about her new book on capitalism and nature next Tuesday in Oxford. If you're in town, come join us!
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alyssa-bat...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alyssa-bat...
Amazing to me that it is late October and this is what the garden looks like. Easily the best thing about living in the UK.
October 27, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Amazing to me that it is late October and this is what the garden looks like. Easily the best thing about living in the UK.
A three-hour in the rain with this goober was not on today's Bingo card. If anyone needs me I'll be under the covers until tomorrow.
October 26, 2025 at 3:15 PM
A three-hour in the rain with this goober was not on today's Bingo card. If anyone needs me I'll be under the covers until tomorrow.
Reposted by Venus Bivar
My weekly roundup of under-reported news from Palestine, Israel, and MENA.
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
2025-10-24 - Rida Abu Rass
Under-reported news from Israel, Palestine, the Middle East and North Africa: October 24, 2025
ridaaburass.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:29 PM
My weekly roundup of under-reported news from Palestine, Israel, and MENA.
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
The chaos of my mahonia both delights and scares me. And this patch of wild daisies that has overrun our front door lights me up every time I see it.
October 24, 2025 at 3:51 PM
The chaos of my mahonia both delights and scares me. And this patch of wild daisies that has overrun our front door lights me up every time I see it.
Reposted by Venus Bivar
Lying bastards
This is HUGE
A court has ruled that TotalEnergies has misled consumers by presenting itself as a “major player in the energy transition”.
It is the first judgement in the world ruling an Oil & Gas major has misled the public by greenwashing its image.
www.clientearth.org/latest/press...
A court has ruled that TotalEnergies has misled consumers by presenting itself as a “major player in the energy transition”.
It is the first judgement in the world ruling an Oil & Gas major has misled the public by greenwashing its image.
www.clientearth.org/latest/press...
Historic win against greenwashing as Court rules TotalEnergies misled consumers on net zero
View the press release
www.clientearth.org
October 23, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Lying bastards
On the eve of my 47th birthday, I am pleased to announce that I have finally purchased my freedom from the debt bondage that is the student loan system. I am very disappointed by how very anti-climactic this feels.
October 23, 2025 at 10:17 AM
On the eve of my 47th birthday, I am pleased to announce that I have finally purchased my freedom from the debt bondage that is the student loan system. I am very disappointed by how very anti-climactic this feels.
Well thank fuck for some good news. Keep it coming.
October 22, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Well thank fuck for some good news. Keep it coming.
This looks like interesting research. Anyone out there who can offer up some examples of public inquiries in the UK for Charlie?
Public inquiries: Which ones led to positive change?
• identified significant failings that needed to be learnt from
• well run inquiry
• recommendations implemented
• led to improved services / gov processes
I’m looking to learn from past examples that went well.
#publicinquiry
• identified significant failings that needed to be learnt from
• well run inquiry
• recommendations implemented
• led to improved services / gov processes
I’m looking to learn from past examples that went well.
#publicinquiry
October 22, 2025 at 8:48 PM
This looks like interesting research. Anyone out there who can offer up some examples of public inquiries in the UK for Charlie?
Today's Blackwells haul. Thanks to @casparhenderson.bsky.social for the Shrubsole suggestion.
October 22, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Today's Blackwells haul. Thanks to @casparhenderson.bsky.social for the Shrubsole suggestion.
So well deserved. If you haven't read A Flat Place, get on it. It's truly one of the best books I've read in the last decade. Congratulations @noreenmasud.bsky.social ! Just think of all of the cat treats that 100K can buy!
this is very very nice and I am still not sure I read the email accurately - big thanks to @leverhulme.ac.uk, without whom, incidentally, I could not have written A FLAT PLACE
Dr @noreenmasud.bsky.social, Associate Professor in Creative and Critical Writing from the Department of English, has been awarded a prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize, awarded by the @leverhulme.ac.uk - one of only 30 recipients from across the UK who will receive £100,000.
October 21, 2025 at 11:17 AM
So well deserved. If you haven't read A Flat Place, get on it. It's truly one of the best books I've read in the last decade. Congratulations @noreenmasud.bsky.social ! Just think of all of the cat treats that 100K can buy!
Honestly one of the things that puzzles me most about the UK. We get enormous amounts of rain - and it has nowhere to go. Also, concrete is ugly and lifeless.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Nearly half of UK garden space is paved over, RHS study finds
Homeowners urged to use more robust planting and permeable materials to help mitigate flood risk
www.theguardian.com
October 21, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Honestly one of the things that puzzles me most about the UK. We get enormous amounts of rain - and it has nowhere to go. Also, concrete is ugly and lifeless.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...