Do the Math: You've Never Heard Climate Change Explained Like This Avaaz
go to original November 3, 2012

Our planet is in serious trouble unless our leaders learn some basic arithmetic. This song is a great place to start. (math.350.org)

Shea and the Better Future Project just released this song to support 350.org, as part of a tour across the US to explain the terrifying new math of climate change.

So how do those figures break down? We can burn 565 gigatonnes of carbon without completely cooking the planet, but fossil fuel companies have 2,795 gigatonnes ready to burn in their reserves. Things simply don't add up.

Help Do the Math get to the top of the (social) charts by sharing this with everybody you know.

Superstorm Sandy

Sandy hit the East Coast with power like we’ve never seen before. Fossil fuel polluters need to start paying for the damage they do to the world — starting now. 350.org is calling for contributions to help clean up communities hit by Sandy, and the fossil fuel corporations need to pay up, instead of spending millions to buy elections. Join us at 350.org/sandy

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Lyrics and vocals by Shea
Produced by DJ Premier
Recorded by Kevin Micka and Farhad Ebrahimi

It goes one for Rex Tillerson
2 for Barack
3 for the coal money blasting of mountaintops
start to connect the dots
from drought to the global south
its time to wake the fuck up and freak out
climate action now
we either keep the oil in the ground
or exxon rakes the cash while coastal cities drown
they got 5 times the reserves than we know its safe to burn
but the screams don't ring as loud as their projected returns

200 million on lobbying to shape energy policy
thats warping our atmosphere and warping our democracy
to buy off Mitt Romney / plus capitol hill
no more ice in the arctic so its drill baby drill
When congress is straight sponsored by coal oil and gas
you best believe they won't let a single climate bill pass

CHORUS

Dirty lobby writes a check and congress writes em one back
30 million in subsidies for more smoke stacks
for more / asthma attacks / for turnin' the gulf black
keeping america hooked on their product like straight crack

we give em 6 times the tax breaks than we give to renewables
no wonder people say wind and solar aint doable
a crucible / to keep clean energy on its knees
to appease fossil fuels/ but the scientists agree
that if we let the earth warm right above 2 degrees
then we hit tipping points and can't stop rising seas
that's 200 million climate refugees by 2050
immigration reform starts to looks a bit more tricky
and west nile makes its way to your town and your city
now listen close to the next cause the math aint so pretty

20 years 100 million dead from dirty energy
so ask yourself who's the real public enemy
brazil to islamabad / chad to somalia
its time to wake up, cause your grandkids are calling ya
they didn't cause this but they'll pay with their tears
while we stand at the pump with hands over our ears
this is real / this is now / so wake up and freak out
and get a grip / we're in a storm we can still right the ship

CHORUS

a revolution of the mind a revolution of the heart
from the keystone blockade to those west virginia ramparts
get organized turn off your tv
join the global mass movement to be fossil fuel free
get your school's money out of shell oil and BP
cuz if we don't have a planet what's the use of that degree
go to 350.org if you want to know more
when you fight for climate justice you fight for the world's poor
you fight for human rights and for diversity of life
for people over profit / and love over strife

stand up to riot gear and break the climate silence
tear down the apathy never ever stay quiet
our kids will ask us what we did when we knew
did the youth rise up / even if it meant handcuffs
or sitting in a cell / so that justice would prevail /
not just for human beings for polar bears and whales
i want to tell them that i tried with all of my might
and i'll see you on the streets as we continue the fight
that's how it adds up.

For more info, contact: sheariester@gmail.com

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