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
Somebody's husband passed the Life in the UK test today! Yee haw! One step closer to no longer having to pay twice for national health insurance!
a man is applauding while sitting in a crowd of people .
ALT: a man is applauding while sitting in a crowd of people .
media.tenor.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Somebody's husband passed the Life in the UK test today! Yee haw! One step closer to no longer having to pay twice for national health insurance!
'Ha Ha Bitches! I got a new scooter!' is the new subway sandwich toss.
I’m howling.
November 20, 2025 at 6:53 PM
'Ha Ha Bitches! I got a new scooter!' is the new subway sandwich toss.
Highlights in @alybatt.bsky.social's latest: the anthropocentrism of the wage; pregnancy as ecosystem service; "Critics of commodification have misidentified the problem afflicting the biosphere: not that capital has absorbed all of life, but that it has abdicated responsibility for so much of it."
Free Gifts
A timely new critique of capitalism’s persistent failure to value nature
press.princeton.edu
November 19, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Highlights in @alybatt.bsky.social's latest: the anthropocentrism of the wage; pregnancy as ecosystem service; "Critics of commodification have misidentified the problem afflicting the biosphere: not that capital has absorbed all of life, but that it has abdicated responsibility for so much of it."
This bears repeating given the most recent media releases on ultra-processed food. Also see the work of @jandutkiewicz.bsky.social for a reality check.
Ultra-processed food bad, natural food good, right?
No, ultra-processed plant-based foods are less unhealthy than equivalent unprocessed animal-based products
No, ultra-processed plant-based foods are less unhealthy than equivalent unprocessed animal-based products
Ultra-processed Plant Foods: Are They Worse than their Unprocessed Animal-Based Counterparts? - Current Nutrition Reports
Purpose of the Review This review aims to compare the impact of unprocessed animal foods with ultra-processed plant-based alternatives, particularly plant-based milks, plant-based meat analogs, and ma...
link.springer.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:17 PM
This bears repeating given the most recent media releases on ultra-processed food. Also see the work of @jandutkiewicz.bsky.social for a reality check.
Ireland peeps: I can't book a train from Dublin to Cork on Dec 17. Is this normal? Are they simply holding off on publishing holiday-season schedules?
November 18, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Ireland peeps: I can't book a train from Dublin to Cork on Dec 17. Is this normal? Are they simply holding off on publishing holiday-season schedules?
Happy to have written about plastic for @thepolycrisis.bsky.social. Thanks to @70sbachchan.bsky.social for sourcing the excellent graphics. And thanks to @rebecca-altman.bsky.social and @anjakrieger.bsky.social for being my go-to's on all-things plastic.
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/pla...
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/pla...
Plastic Planet | Venus Bivar
Stalled negotiations and accelerating accumulation in the global petrochemicals industry
www.phenomenalworld.org
November 17, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Happy to have written about plastic for @thepolycrisis.bsky.social. Thanks to @70sbachchan.bsky.social for sourcing the excellent graphics. And thanks to @rebecca-altman.bsky.social and @anjakrieger.bsky.social for being my go-to's on all-things plastic.
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/pla...
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/pla...
Two minutes of elephant joy.
When an elephant feels excited, they tend to reach for the nature around them to express their joy. They might grab a branch and show it off, drag it, or toss it into the air. They circle around and use their back feet to kick, sending sticks and mud flying. Bushes, shrubs, and small trees are often
November 16, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Two minutes of elephant joy.
Wow. This is fascinating. I wonder what other kinds of curriculum changes will happen in the attempt to circumvent ChatGPT.
I love Carey's book too, for a new reason: serial AI cheaters in my online history of disasters course couldnt use AI tools effectively to cheat, in part because ChatGPT is so Global North biased its responses were incoherent.
November 15, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Wow. This is fascinating. I wonder what other kinds of curriculum changes will happen in the attempt to circumvent ChatGPT.
As part of my Good News Series, my dad's small community in Nova Scotia *once again* kept corporate greed in check and stopped the construction of a golf course on Provincial Park land. These arseholes will certainly come for the land again. Here's hoping they never win.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
West Mabou Beach golf development proposal won't proceed, premier says | CBC News
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston told reporters Thursday the proposal 'won't get to the next step.'
www.cbc.ca
November 15, 2025 at 11:08 AM
As part of my Good News Series, my dad's small community in Nova Scotia *once again* kept corporate greed in check and stopped the construction of a golf course on Provincial Park land. These arseholes will certainly come for the land again. Here's hoping they never win.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Reposted by Venus Bivar
This week's roundup of under-reported news from Palestine, Israel, and MENA.
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
2025-11-14 - Rida Abu Rass
News from Israel, Palestine, and MENA: November 14, 2025
ridaaburass.com
November 14, 2025 at 6:03 PM
This week's roundup of under-reported news from Palestine, Israel, and MENA.
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
Reposted by Venus Bivar
An important report at @972mag.com, highlighting the consequences of state-backed, settler violence.
projects.972mag.com/portraits-se...
projects.972mag.com/portraits-se...
The lives and bodies forever scarred by Israeli state-backed settler violence
Attacks on Palestinians across the West Bank have surged to record levels, with Israeli settlers and soldiers operating in near-total symbiosis. Victims of shootings, beatings, and stonings reveal the...
projects.972mag.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:24 PM
An important report at @972mag.com, highlighting the consequences of state-backed, settler violence.
projects.972mag.com/portraits-se...
projects.972mag.com/portraits-se...
If you're in Oxford, join us next week at the Environmental Humanities Hub for a session on pastoralism that stretches across both time and place.
November 14, 2025 at 3:35 PM
If you're in Oxford, join us next week at the Environmental Humanities Hub for a session on pastoralism that stretches across both time and place.
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.