First real bike ride in 55 days. Short but sweet!
#cycling #nature #photography

Alt...

Picture take e from a gravel road looking over a split rail across a grass field on a farm.

Usually we walk through a lightly wooded area, with more fields than anything else. But today they were mowing so we went into the woods. There was no one else around so I let her off leash and Sadie had a blast running in and out of the river and through the woods jumping over fallen trees. It's a dog's life - and it's pretty sweet 😊
#SunshineSadie #dogsofmastodon #nature

Alt...

A sun dappled pathway through a densely wooded area with plenty of green grasses and shrubs and trees on either side. Hidden in the shade about halfway down, looking into the woods, is a gold and white dog.

#nature #photography #netherlands

Alt...

Op deze foto water met wat planten erin, en allerlei begroeiing aan de zijkanten en achterkant.

It seems only liberal & progressive democrats care about nature & wildlife. MAGA just wants billionaires and kings #nature #wildlife #MAGA

#WildlifeWednesday brings you a small chickadee today.

I wanted to share this image after reading a pleasant article about creating natural gardens with native plants instead of imported species - made me think of how important that choice is to little critters like this guy.

#wildlifephotography #photography #nature #birds

Alt...

A plump black-capped chickadee perches on a bare diagonal branch in this close-up wildlife nature photograph, its distinctive bold black cap and bib contrasting sharply against its clean white cheeks and soft grey and white belly as it faces alertly to the right. The bird is lit from the side by soft natural light that catches its rounded form beautifully, while a smooth, out-of-focus background of pale grey and warm tan tones keeps all attention on the small, characterful bird. This intimate wildlife portrait captures the charm and personality of one of Canada's most beloved and recognizable backyard birds.

The female Bluebird, bringing food to the chicks. Grasshoppers are rich in protein.
Within the next 3 days the kids will leave the nest box. I hope to witness it, but it takes only 5 minutes and they are out and gone into the bush 🤞.

#birds #nature

Alt...

A small songbird with blue back and pale orange breast, holding a grasshopper in her beak.

[thread]

Went for a hike in the Lobau, a nature reserve in Vienna. "Au" is a special kind of river landscape that gets periodically flooded. Many places along the Danube contain "Au" in their name, such as "Rossau" or "Spittelau".

#vienna #wien #austria #nature #river #landscape #water #flowers #bees #butterfly #dragonfly #frog #insects

Alt...

An open sluice gate

Alt...

A small stream

Alt...

Pontia edusa (I think)

Alt...

Dragonfly

Some of my winged neighbours, whom I lovingly call the "coos".
Other local residents include a family of crows, at least one falcon and Mr. Blackbird.

#bird #dove #collaredDove #nature #animals

Flight at Dusk

A flock of pigeons cuts across a brooding sky, their dark shapes gliding in loose formation while the silhouette of a leafy tree frames the scene on the left. Heavy clouds gather overhead, hinting at an approaching storm and casting the moment in a calm yet quietly somber light.

Discover nature's fleeting moments through my lens—visit my photo gallery to see more.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #doves #pigeons #rockpigeons #clouds #sky

Alt...

"A small flock of rock pigeons sweeps across the sky in loose formation, their wings outstretched as they glide through a soft, overcast morning. The birds appear mid‑flight, each one frozen in a different posture — some with wings fully extended, others just beginning a downward stroke. Their silhouettes are dark against the pale sky, giving them a quiet, graceful presence as they move together like a drifting ribbon. The sky behind them is a wash of muted grays and faint blue, the kind of light that feels cool and early, as if the day hasn’t quite decided what it wants to be yet. Wisps of cloud soften the background, adding a gentle texture that makes the birds stand out even more sharply. On the left side of the scene, a cluster of leafy green branches reaches into the frame, dense and full, as though the tree is leaning in to watch the pigeons pass. More greenery sits in the lower right corner, framing the flock between two pockets of earthbound life. The contrast between the grounded leaves and the airborne birds gives the image a sense of movement — a moment caught between stillness and flight. The whole scene feels calm, natural, and quietly dramatic: a handful of pigeons carving their way across a soft sky, moving with purpose yet without hurry, as if simply enjoying the freedom of the air." - Microsoft Copilot

If you would like to purchase a copy of my photo book WILD VANCOUVER ISLAND for yourself or a nature and photography lover in your circle, my stock is getting low and I won't do a reprint once the book is sold out.

Take a look inside: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt6iX4w9S5w

Order a copy on my website. Worldwide shipping: https://www.catherinebabault.com/book/wild-vancouver-island-photo-book

Let me know if you'd like me to sign it or add a note. Thanks!

#bookstodon #books #photography #wildlife #nature #VancouverIsland #BritishColumbia

Alt...

Cover of my book with the title Wild Vancouver Island and my name Catherine Babault. The photo on the cover is a beautiful black bear standing on a sandstone boulder partially covered by yellow kelp. The bear stares at the photographer and fills up most of the photo.

indische scheinerdbeere
potentilla indica

#mockfotos #photography #makromittwoch #macrophotography #nature #garten #rot #closeup

Alt...

das bild zeigt eine makroaufnahme einer pflanze, die einer erdbeere ähnelt, aber eine scheinerdbeere (potentilla indica) ist. im mittelpunkt steht eine kugelige, rote samenfrucht mit vielen kleinen, glänzenden erhebungen. die rote frucht ist von grünen, gezackten kelchblättern umgeben, die wie ein stern angeordnet sind. auf der roten oberfläche sind feine, haarähnliche strukturen und winzige dunkle pünktchen zu erkennen. der hintergrund ist stark verschwommen und in verschiedenen grüntönen gehalten, wodurch die frucht plastisch hervorsticht. die perspektive von oben und die starke fokussierung verleihen der aufnahme eine detaillierte, naturkundliche anmutung.

Für mehr Sonnenblume statt Sonnenbrand. 🌻🧴☀️👙
Habt einen guten Mittwoch!

#sunflower #Bloomscrolling #photography #nature

Alt...

A field of vibrant sunflowers in full bloom, showcasing bright yellow petals and green leaves under a slightly cloudy sky.

Alt...

A field of vibrant sunflowers with large yellow petals and dark centers, surrounded by green leaves, under a cloudy sky.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/environmental-conservation-uganda .. JUST a small contribution takes us on another challenge to solve, when this one is done. #ClimateAction #Sustainability #Permaculture #FoodForest #SoilHealth #TreePlanting #SchoolGardens #CommunityOutreach #Nature #FoodSecurity #ZeroWaste #Naturfrënn 🌍🌱💚🙏!
#Umweltschutz #Klimaschutz #Nachhaltigkeit #Permakultur #Agrarökologie #Waldgarten #Agroforstwirtschaft #Bodengesundheit #Baumpflanzung #Schulgärten #Gemeinschaftsarbeit #Natur #Ernährungssicherheit #NullAbfall

Centaurus A is the quintessential "peculiar" galaxy. It's a powerful source of radio & x-rays. It looks like two galaxies that smashed into each other. I stared at photos of it for years, wondering what was going on.

Now observations from JWST are providing some answers.

https://esawebb.org/news/weic2615/ #space #science #nature

Alt...

Centaurus A is one of the foremost examples of a radio-loud active galactic nucleus (AGN). On images obtained at optical wavelengths, thick dust layers almost completely obscure the galaxy's centre. This structure was first reported by Sir John Herschel in 1847. Until 1949, NGC 5128 was thought to be a strange object in the Milky Way, but it was then identified as a powerful radio galaxy and designated Centaurus A. The distance is about 10-13 million light-years (3-4 Mpc) and the apparent visual magnitude is about 8, or 5 times too faint to be seen with the unaided eye.There is strong evidence that Centaurus A is a merger of an elliptical with a spiral galaxy, since elliptical galaxies would not have had enough dust and gas to form the young, blue stars seen along the edges of the dust lane. The core of Centaurus A is the smallest known extragalactic radio source, only 10 light-days across. A jet of high-energy particles from this center is observed in radio and X-ray images. The core probably contains a supermassive black hole with a mass of about 100 million solar masses.

Cooperation isn't a natural instinct for cats, nor is the desire to please silly humans.

The post Cats are notoriously tricky to train. Here’s how animal handlers get cats to ‘act’ in TV and film. appeared first on Upworthy.

Alt...

Cats are notoriously tricky to train. Here’s how animal handlers get cats to ‘act’ in TV and film.

📷 Canada Geese in flight, the morning after Hurricane Helene hit overnight, September 27, 2024.

#FediversalPictures #Nature

Alt...

seven blurred canada geese fly in formation toward upper left corner of picture. treetops appear at bottom right.

So many colors June sunset. Scoville Reservoir, Wolcott, Connecticut. June 27, 2021, 8:42 PM.

#hiking #photography #outdoors #landscapephotography #hikingadventures #nature #Connecticut #summer #June #forest #sunset #sunsets #sunsetphotography #trail #lake #summertime #wildflowers

Alt...

We are standing beside a large lake. The sun has recently set above the wooded far shore. The sky is a deep twilight blue streaked with clouds: orange and gold tinted along the horizon and bright pink above, mirrored on the lake below. We are standing beside a patch of tall lush green grass along the near shore. It is speckled with red violet wildflowers. There is a darker green bush beyond, right on the shoreline.

[Paper] Varieties of #Anticapitalism: A systematic study of transformation strategies in alternative economic discourses

by Querine Kommandeur, Juliette Alenda-Demoutiez, Maria Kaufmann, Ingrid Visseren-Hamakers. Published January 2025.

Abstract

"The confluence of multiple crises has prompted a growing recognition of the need for transformations. Economic systems, including patterns of consumption and production, play a key role in sustainability transformations. The notion that capitalist systems are at the root of current ecological and social crises has led to the emergence of different alternative economic discourses, that seek to address the indirect drivers of #unsustainability. In this article, we aim to contribute to moving the debate beyond critiques of capitalism by focussing on the paths of transformation towards alternatives. To this end, we analyse several alternative economic discourses in order to show the breadth of the debate, and to better understand the roles and strategies of various discourses in societal transformation. Seven discourses are included, of which Buen Vivir, Degrowth and Wellbeing Economy are analysed in-depth. This is done through a systematic analysis of literature published between 2015 and 2022, using an enhanced conceptual framework based on the works of Wright (2019) and Chertkovskaya (2022). Our analysis suggests that the discourses represent different modes of transformation, and that these differences exist both between, as well as within the different discourses. We argue that transformations cannot be achieved through single discourses, or modes of transformation. Rather, concerted efforts of different discourses aimed at addressing indirect drivers of unsustainability can provide the multi-faceted processes of societal change, in which they can support and reinforce one another through alliances and mutual learning."

Introduction

"Humans are putting ever-increasing burdens on the #environment, causing severe damage to #nature (IPBES, 2019; United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2015). This damage is operationalised through the planetary boundaries, showing how several of them have already been crossed, which increases the risk of unleashing #ecosystem changes on a global scale (IPBES, 2019; Lade et al., 2020). Besides the innumerable injustices towards non-humans that result from the destruction of nature, such processes also have severe impacts on structures that sustain human livelihoods, by impacting health and wellbeing, food security and infrastructure (IPCC, 2023; United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2015). These processes are driven by #capitalist accumulation, which relies on the continuous production of new frontiers of accumulation, often through the #exploitation of #MarginalizedCommunities and nature (Moore, 2017). These adverse impacts on nature and people disproportionately affect the most vulnerable people and systems (IPCC, 2023).

"While capitalism manifests itself in a variety of ways across time and place (Hall and Soskice, 2001), there are several fundamental aspects that lie at the heart of its problematic nature. In capitalist societies, societal wealth manifests itself as an accumulation of commodities, and production is oriented towards profit rather than societal needs. Such profits, or surpluses, are extracted and privately appropriated for further expansion, forming the main force of growth. As such processes rely on the continued exploitation of labour and nature, inequality is not an outcome but the foundation of capitalist structures (Brand et al., 2021; Chertkovskaya and Paulsson, 2021; Moore, 2017). The continued inability to decouple environmental degradation from economic growth has made capitalism increasingly questionable in terms of its desirability and sustainability (Parrique et al., 2019). Such capitalist structures, both material, institutional, and discursive, are entrenched in societies, including institutions and governance mechanisms such as nation states and international political regimes, and are underpinned by societal values such as the appropriation of nature and non-human animals as resources to be exploited for human benefit (Brand et al., 2021; IPBES, 2019).
This confluence of multiple crises has prompted a growing recognition of the need for transformations. Since the 2015 inception of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the term “transformation” has gained broad usage among policymakers, academics, activists, and others, resulting in diverse interpretations and literatures. Transformations imply “...changes in the generic societal causes, including institutions, governance structures, developments, power relations, paradigms, goals and values” (Kok et al., 2022, p. 8). The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) defines transformative change as “a fundamental, system-wide reorganisation across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values” (IPBES, 2019, p. 14). Visseren-Hamakers and Kok shift the focus of this definition by replacing ‘system-wide’ with ‘society-wide’, emphasizing changes in general, societal structures (Visseren-Hamakers and Kok, 2022a, p. 8). We therefore consider capitalist structures to be the indirect drivers of unsustainability (IPBES, 2019).
The notion that capitalist systems are at the root of current ecological and social crises has led many activists, civil society groups, academics, policymakers, and politicians to seek for alternative economic approaches that focus on justice and sustainability (Charonis, 2021; Westra et al., 2017). We consider alternative economic discourses to be embedded in broader transformation discourses, as they address, to varying degrees, the indirect drivers of sustainability. While alternative economic discourses are generally strong in imagining alternatives, working towards such alternatives requires strategic efforts (Barlow et al., 2022; Visseren-Hamakers and Kok, 2022b). The main objective of this article is to elucidate how various alternative economic discourses align with and differ from each other concerning their modes and strategies of transformation as presented in the academic literature. To do this, this article builds on the work of (Wright, 2019), who conceptualises different ‘modes’ of transformation, i.e., sets of strategies that have been historically important in anti-capitalist struggles. Chertkovskaya (2022) expands on this framework to better capture the efforts of alternative economic movements. We further build upon both Wright's original conceptualisation and Chertkovskaya's additions to develop the framework further (Chertkovskaya, 2022).

"This paper contributes to the literature on #PostCapitalism and transformations by providing a comprehensive overview of different modes and strategies of transformation by focusing on the Degrowth, Buen Vivir and Wellbeing Economy discourse. In doing so, we aim to contribute to moving the debate beyond critiques of capitalism by focussing on the paths of transformation towards alternatives. Through our categorization, we facilitate a more conscious reflection on often implicit approaches to change while also revealing sensitivity to similarities and nuances within and between the discourses, showing the breadth of the debate (Sandberg and Alvesson, 2021). The selected discourses are #BuenVivir, Degrowth, #DoughnutEconomics, Economy for the #CommonGood, Foundational Economy, Social and #Solidarity Economy, and Wellbeing Economy. We first provide a brief overview of these seven alternative discourses and then proceed to an in-depth examination of the Buen Vivir, Degrowth, and Wellbeing Economy discourses."

Read more:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800924003203
#SolarPunkSunday #DeGrowth #PostCapitalism #CircularEconomy #Polycrisis #EnvironmentalRacism #HumanRights #Colonialism #CorporateColonialism

Fantastic mirror shot of a Black Skimmer skimming the water with its distinctive orange and red bill.

Black Skimmers are a tern-like seabird that breeds in North and South America.

They use their specialized lower mandible, which is longer than the upper, to catch fish in river shallows and coastal waters.

📷 Mark Smith Photography, @marktakesphoto
🎥 youtu.be/TZDoZsZZ4SA

#Birds #Nature #Seabirds #Photography #Wildlife #WildlifePhotography

Alt...

Photo of a Black Skimmer skimming water with its distinctive orange and red bill. The image captures a reflection of the bird on a calm, orange-toned water surface.

Macarena.

#photography #waterfall #water #galicia #nature #blackandwhite #fineart #inspiration #monochrome ##photographie #feelings #portraitphotography #retrato

Alt...

Mujer en una cascada.

It's always exciting to see a new species in my garden, and today it was this small dragonfly. I'm pretty sure this is a female Darter, but I can't decide whether she's a Common, Red-veined or Yellow-winged Darter. Regardless, she's welcome here and also very photogenic.

If you can identify the species, please let me know :-)

#Dragonfly #Dragonflies #Insects #CloseUp #Nature #NaturePhotography #Garden #Flower

Alt...

A bright yellowish dragonfly sits, facing to the right, on a head of bright mauve Verbena bonariensis. The face and eyes are brown above, yellowy-green below with a small, hexagonal, white patch of reflected light on the eye. The six legs are dark with a yellow stripe along the length and small, regularly-spaced hairs. The thorax is light brown on top, yellow on the side with thin black markings. The four transparent wings hang down somewhat, towards the flower. They have black veins and pale grey wing spots in a darker border near the forward tips.. The abdomen is mostly yellow, becoming slightly more brownish towards the tail. It has thin, brown and black markings circling it. The shape is wide behind the thorax, thinning by S4, (the forth segment, counted backwards from the thorax), before widening slightly again to S8, and finally thinning again. Segments S8 and S9 have a black marking on their tops. The out-of-focus background is a mixture of soft greens and pinks.

📷 #ThickTrunkTuesday

Walnut tree, Magnolia Cemetery, 2023.

This grand, 80-foot tree was felled by winds from Hurricane Helene in 2024.

#FediversalPictures #Nature

Alt...

Close-up upward view of a tall tree with rough, textured bark. Bare branches spread out against a clear blue sky, emphasizing the tree’s height and intricate network of twigs. The perspective creates a dramatic, towering effect.

https://www.meowmoe.com/238511/ キジ白姫たちの飴と鞭にめげないユニークキャラのキジ白猫ちゃん ##ニャンコ ##ネコ #Amazing #animal #animals #cat #Cats #CuteAnimalsFunnyVideos #Discover #friendry #Japan #JapanWildLife #JapanWildlife #kitten #kouryuunekodouga #nature #neko #pet #RareAnimal #RelaxationChannel #ReraxingVideo #VideoForCats #WildAnimals #WildLife #WildlifeAnimals #ねこ #交流猫動画 #保護猫 #動物 #日本猫

Alt...

キジ白姫たちの飴と鞭にめげないユニークキャラのキジ白猫ちゃん

Morning light.

#sunrise #lightstruck #GoneToCarolinaInMyMind #summer #ocean #clouds #nature #NaturePhotography #SolaceInNature

Alt...

Rays of morning son break through clearing storm clouds over a wooden pier and calm, dark blue ocean (2019).

#photography #nature #bloomscrolling #butterfly

Alt...

Op de foto een atalanta vlinder, op een buddleja struik.

Ruffled

#BloomScrolling #Nature #Photography

Alt...

A moody, close-up photograph of a single flower, capturing its intricate details against a stark backdrop. The flower features a cup-like arrangement of delicate, semi-translucent petals. They are a muted light cream color, with subtle hints of soft pink or lavender veins radiating outward from the center. The edges of the petals are distinctly ruffled, crinkled, and show signs of drying or browning, giving the flower an aged, organic texture. At the very heart of the flower is a dense, circular cluster of bright yellow, fuzzy-looking stamens and pistils. This vibrant golden center provides a striking color contrast to the muted tones of the petals.

April 2026
#nature #photography #frogs

Alt...

A close-up of a textured, brown toad resting in green grass, partially obscured by blades of grass. Immediately after taking the picture I ran away saying “come on dogs - TREATS!”

June 2026
#nature #photography

Alt...

A colorful sunset over a lake, showcasing vibrant pink and orange hues in the sky, with fluffy clouds and a distant tree covered sand dune.

📷 #MountainMonday

Vintage Ford 3000 in a fallow field at Kituwah (ᎩᏚᏩ), 6:19 AM.

#FediversalPictures #Nature #Kituwah

Alt...

a old blue Ford 3000 tractor sits in a field of tall green grass and wild plants, adjacent to a field of young corn. borth are surrounded by dense trees. Behind the tractor, forested hills rise into the background and are partly covered by low-hanging fog under an overcast sky.

Midnight Majesty, Happy Caturday!
Avalable here...https://tina-lecour.pixels.com/featured/midnight-majesty-tina-lecour.html

#caturday #cat #cats #catsOfMastodon #catsofpixelfed #animal #animals #wildlife #nature #naturelover #mastoart #fediart #fedigiftshop #creativetoots #wallart #wallartforsale #art #arte #artist #artwork #artforsale #gifts #giftideas #greetingcards #puzzle #puzzles #homedecor #interiordecor #buyintoart #ayearforart #painting #fineart

Alt...

This canvas is an expressionism of a black panther painted in bold black white and gold strokes.

How many storms did it survive? How many birds found shelter in its branches? How many forests began from its seeds? An old tree is a lifetime of giving. Let's be the generation that protects, not destroys, our natural heritage.
#trees #biodiversity #environment #ecology #ecosystem #forestry #nature #ClimateAction #photography #fediverse #linux #mastodon #agroforestry #afforestation #Reaforestation #deforestation #Greenyouthmovement #wildlife #EcoConservation
https://gofund.me/8da0ff4a0

Veks Van Hillik suspends fish, insects, and other objects in surreal murals evocative of Dutch still lifes.

https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2026/07/veks-van-hillik-paintings-murals-animals-fish/

#art #nature

Alt...

an interior mural of a bird, butterfly, and human skull on a checkered floor against a landscape, situated inside of historic church architecture

Alt...

a large mural of a fish in an architectural niche, looking through a glass with its face reflected backwards

Alt...

a horizontal mural of a fish floating above a table or surface with small bubble beneath it and an orange butterfly near its mouth

After several days and a ton of work, today I’m dropping off 82 boxes at the Post Office! This was such an amazing project. I’m looking forward to the next! 🤎

#art #woodenpins #nature #forest

Alt...

My Forest Floor Wooden Pins in a box with decorative tissue paper.

A rose by any other name..

#photography #flowers #rose #bloomscrolling #nature

Alt...

Many pink rose blossoms are seen close up along a wooden fence in front of a old stone house.