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Our Beautiful and Fragile Planet Takes Center Stage in the 2025 World Nature Photography Awards

05 Mar, 2025

This post was originally published on Colossal

From the glowing Milky Way above a Montana lake to firework-like flowers in the Brazilian savannah at sunset, the winners of the 2025 World Nature Photography Awards highlight the endless wonders of our planet. In categories running the gamut of animal portraits, landscapes, urban wildlife, and more, photographers around the globe captured incredible views of creature behaviors, terrestrial vistas, and astronomical phenomena.

“The World Nature Photography Awards were founded in the belief that we can all make small efforts to shape the future of our planet in a positive way,” says a statement, “and that photography can influence people to see the world from a different perspective and change their own habits for the good of the planet.”

two white-cheeked terns fighting in midair, their feathers backlit by the sun
Bronze in the Bird Behavior category: Mohammad Murad, “A sword in the chest.” White-cheeked terns, Kubbar Island, Kuwait

The 2025 edition of the contest saw thousands of entries submitted from 48 countries. The grand prize went to Maruša Puhek’s bold image of two deer leaping through a vineyard.

Many of the winning photos highlight the vulnerability of the earth’s inhabitants and juxtapositions between nature and the human-built environment. In Daniel Flormann’s “Lenuk Tasi,” for example, a baby sea turtle glides just beneath the surface of the boundless sea, and in Ael Kermarec’s “Reclaim,” a lava flow from an Icelandic volcano completely engulfs a road.

Some of our other favorites include Marcio Esteves Cabral’s vista full of rare Paepalanthus flowers illuminated by the sun in the Veadeiros Tablelands, Brazil, and Mohammad Murad’s capture of two backlit White-cheeked terns battling over territory on Kubbar Island, Kuwait.

See many more winning photos and purchase prints—including top picks from previous years’ competitions—in the WNPA store.

a landscape full of illuminated plants at sunset
Gold in the Plants and Fungi category: Marcio Esteves Cabral, “Fireworks.” Paepalanthus, Veadeiros Tablelands, Brazil
a photograph of a baby fox in midair as it jumps up onto a log
Bronze in the Mammal Behavior category: Donna Feledichuk, “Might as well jump.” Baby fox, Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada
the Milky Way expands in an arc across a watery, mountainous landscape illuminated by green aurora borealis
Gold in the Landscapes and Environments category: Jake Mosher, “Hyalite Twilight.” The Milky Way over Hyalite Lake, Montana, U.S.
an aerial view of a road through icy terrain with lava moving over it
Gold in the Nature Photojournalism category: Ael Kermarec, “Reclaim.” Volcanic eruption, Svartsengi, Reykjanes, Iceland
a side view of an owl mid-flight
Silver in the Urban Wildlife category: Elizabeth Yicheng Shen, “Critical moment.” Great grey owl, California, U.S.
an up-close portrait of a turkey
Bronze in the Animal Portrait category: Ngar Shun Victor Wong, “The safari beauty.” Guinea fowl, Tanzania
a mudskipper jumps up over the surface of the water, illuminated slightly by the sun
Gold in the Amphibians and Reptiles category: Georgina Steytler, “Mudskipping.” Blue-spotted mudskipper (Boleophthalmus caeruleomaculatus), Roebuck Bay, Broome, Western Australia

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Our Beautiful and Fragile Planet Takes Center Stage in the 2025 World Nature Photography Awards appeared first on Colossal.

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ACCIONA creates surfboard from retired wind turbine blades

ACCIONA creates surfboard from retired wind turbine blades

ACCIONA has partnered with Australian professional surfer Josh Kerr and his brand Draft Surf, to create surfboards made from a retired wind turbine blade.

The initial range, crafted from a decommissioned blade from ACCIONA’s Waubra wind farm in Victoria, included 10 prototype surfboards as part of the company’s Turbine Made initiative.

The surfboards, hand-crafted on the Gold Coast, feature repurposed turbine blade strips built into the deck for strength and flex control. The fins of the board, made from recycled fibreglass, are said to provide stability, drive and speed, and the outer shell is further strengthened by incorporating recycled turbine blade particulate into the fibreglassing process.

Kerr said, “When ACCIONA approached us about being part of the solution and working together to create these surfboards, we jumped at the opportunity. At its core, our brand is about enabling the best surfing experience with quality products, in a sustainable way — which aligns with ACCIONA’s vision for Turbine Made.”

Draft Surf founder Josh Kerr with an ACCIONA Turbine Made surfboard prototype.

Launched in February 2025, Turbine Made is an initiative dedicated to exploring ways to transform decommissioned wind turbine blades into new materials and products. It represents the next step in ACCIONA’s efforts to advance circular economy in the renewable energy sector in Australia.

ACCIONA Energia’s global sustainability director Mariola Domenech said, “We know that in the next five to 10 years, countries like Australia will have a large volume of decommissioned wind turbine blades, so we’re acting now to explore new ways to recycle and reuse the material they are built from.

“The creation of a surfboard prototype, developed locally, is an example of how we’re reimagining the materials from decommissioned turbine blades and pushing the envelope of innovation when it comes to the circular economy.”

The Turbine Made initiative builds on ACCIONA’s previous work to repurpose decommissioned wind turbine blades. This includes a collaboration with European fashion brand El Ganso, to create sneakers featuring recycled blade material in their soles and integrating recycled blade materials into the torsion beams of solar trackers at a solar plant in Extremadura, Spain.

The company is also advancing in end-of-life turbine recycling through the development of a blade recycling plant in Navarra, Spain, which is set to become operational in 2026, creating 100 jobs and a processing capacity of 6000 tonnes of material per year.

“Sustainability isn’t just about reducing waste, it’s about product stewardship, ensuring that what we build today doesn’t become tomorrow’s environmental challenge,” Domenech said.

“By working with Australian manufacturers, designers and innovators, we can encourage the creation of practical, high-performance applications that benefit both industry and the environment.”

Top image caption: Professional surfer Josh Kerr holding an ACCIONA Turbine Made x Draft Surf surfboard prototype. Images: Supplied.

Meet 29 Women-Owned Brands Making Waves in Ethical Fashion

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Our editors curate highly rated brands that are first assessed by our rigorous ratings system. Buying through our links may earn us a commission—supporting the work we do. Learn more.   Happy International Women’s Day! To celebrate, we’ve rounded up some dynamic and responsible women-owned brands rated “Good” or “Great” on our directory. Feminism and sustainable […]
The post Meet 29 Women-Owned Brands Making Waves in Ethical Fashion appeared first on Good On You.

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