Tag: climate change

• What’s for Dinner?.mp3
• What’s for Dinner?.mp4

Come and get it

[Verse 1]
I’m getting thinner
Could use something to eat
What’s for dinner
Hope it beats this heat

[Bridge]
Abused the land
(Do you understand)
Built a slaughter
(On our water)

[Chorus]
What’s to eat (I’m beat)
Getting crude (About food)
Can’t you see (I’m hungry)
Better feed me (Or you’ll see)

[Instrumental, Guitar, Solo, Drums]

[Verse 2]
Famished
I could use a dish
What’s for dinner
Hope it beats this heat

[Bridge]
Abused the land
(Do you understand)
Built a slaughter
(On our water)

[Chorus]
What’s to eat (I’m beat)
Getting crude (About food)
Can’t you see (I’m hungry)
Better feed me (Or you’ll see)

[Instrumental, Guitar Solo, Drums Fills]

[Verse 2]
Famished
Could sure use a dish
Ravished
Like a fascist

[Bridge]
Abused the land
(Do you understand)
Built a slaughter
(On our water)

[Chorus]
What’s to eat (I’m beat)
Getting crude (About food)
Can’t you see (I’m hungry)
Better feed me (Or you’ll see)

[Instrumental, Saxophone Solo, Drum Fills]

A SCIENCE NOTE
Agricultural activities can contribute to food insecurity through various channels:

1. Land Degradation: Intensive farming practices, such as overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, monocropping, and improper irrigation, can degrade soil quality and reduce its fertility. This degradation makes it challenging to sustainably produce crops, leading to lower yields and diminished agricultural productivity over time.
2. Water Depletion: Agriculture is a major consumer of freshwater resources, often accounting for a significant portion of water usage in many regions. Excessive water extraction for irrigation can deplete groundwater reserves and diminish surface water sources, leading to water scarcity for both agricultural and non-agricultural purposes. This scarcity can result in reduced crop production and limited access to water for drinking and sanitation, contributing to food insecurity.
3. Climate Change: Agricultural activities, particularly large-scale farming and deforestation, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, which drive climate change. Climate change can lead to more frequent and severe weather events, such as droughts, floods, storms, and heatwaves, which can adversely affect crop yields and livestock productivity. Shifts in temperature and precipitation patterns can also disrupt traditional agricultural practices, making it challenging for farmers to predict growing seasons and adapt their cultivation methods accordingly.
4. Loss of Biodiversity: Intensive agricultural practices often prioritize high-yield crop varieties and livestock breeds, leading to a loss of biodiversity in agroecosystems. This loss of biodiversity reduces the resilience of agricultural systems to pests, diseases, and environmental stressors, making crops and livestock more vulnerable to outbreaks and failures. Furthermore, monocultures are more susceptible to catastrophic crop failures due to their lack of genetic diversity, posing risks to food security.
5. Food Waste: Inefficient agricultural practices, inadequate infrastructure, and poor post-harvest handling contribute to significant food losses and waste throughout the food supply chain. Food loss occurs at various stages, including harvesting, transportation, storage, processing, and distribution. Food waste not only represents a lost opportunity to alleviate hunger but also exacerbates food insecurity by reducing the availability of nutritious food for consumption.

Addressing these challenges requires implementing sustainable agricultural practices that prioritize environmental conservation, resource efficiency, and resilience to climate change. Additionally, promoting equitable access to land, water, and other productive resources can enhance the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and rural communities, ultimately contributing to global food security.

From the album “Nowadays” by The Beatless Sense Mongers

MegaEpix Enormous

A song about The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

• Man’s Best Enemy.mp3
• Man’s Best Enemy.mp4

There’s a little song
And it goes like this:
Life can’t be
Hit or miss

[Verse]
When it comes to Man’s best friend
It could be him
Man’s best friend
Once again
[Bridge]
’cause somehow
right about now
It’s clear to see

His worst enemy
A rear-view mirror fantasy

[Chorus]
The foot-on-the-gas free pass
Just cannot last
The pumping of the gas
Is way, way too fast
The primate climate
Is a thing of the past

[Verse]
When it comes to Man’s best friend
It could be Man
Then Man ran
Ran amuck, what the….

[Bridge]
’cause somehow
right about now
It’s clear to see

His worst enemy
A rear-view mirror fantasy

[Chorus]
The foot-on-the-gas free pass
Just cannot last
The pumping of the gas
Is way, way too fast
The primate climate
Is a thing of the past

A SCIENCE NOTE
“Man’s Best Enemy” offers a thought-provoking commentary on humanity’s role in climate change, using the metaphor of man’s relationship with his supposed best friend to illustrate the destructive impact of human actions on the environment.

The opening lines set the stage for introspection, suggesting that life cannot simply be left to chance or taken for granted. As the verse unfolds, the focus shifts to the concept of man’s best friend, traditionally thought to be the loyal and faithful dog. However, the song subverts this notion, implying that man himself may be his own worst enemy, particularly when it comes to environmental stewardship.

The bridge introduces the idea that this realization is dawning on humanity, as it becomes increasingly clear that the actions of the past, symbolized by the rear-view mirror, are catching up with us. The phrase “rear-view mirror fantasy” implies that our previous disregard for the consequences of our actions is no longer sustainable in the face of the climate crisis.

The chorus drives home the urgency of the situation, highlighting the unsustainable nature of our reliance on fossil fuels and the rapid pace at which we are degrading the environment. The imagery of the foot on the gas pedal represents humanity’s relentless pursuit of progress and consumption, which is ultimately leading to our own downfall and the demise of the planet’s climate stability.

In the second verse, the focus returns to man as the central figure in this narrative. The repetition of “It could be Man” underscores the idea that humanity is both the perpetrator and victim of its own actions, as our shortsightedness and greed lead to environmental catastrophe.

“Man’s Best Enemy” serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for humanity to reassess its relationship with the planet and take meaningful action to mitigate the effects of climate change before it’s too late.

From the album “Nowadays” by The Beatless Sense Mongers

MegaEpix Enormous

A song about The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

• 2-point-7.mp3
• 2-point-7.mp4

You call this heaven?
Not even close to break-even

[Verse 1]
Blasting past 1.5
Gets hard to stay alive
Getting so hot
Time forgot

[Bridge]
On our way to stay
Far away

[Chorus]
Watch the temperature creep
And weep
Watch the mercury rise
Realize
[Break]
Everyone dies

[Instrumental, Guitar Solo, Drum Fills]

[Verse 2]
Surpassing 2.0
You know (we don’t have long to go)
Wildfires go wild
Floods never mild

[Bridge]
On our way to stay
Far away

[Chorus]
Watch the temperature creep
And weep
Watch the mercury rise
Realize
[Break]
Everyone dies

[Instrumental, Saxophone Solo, Drum Fills]

[Verse 3]
2.7
This ain’t heaven
Discover
Hell froze over

[Bridge]
On our way to stay
Far away

[Chorus]
Watch the temperature creep
And weep
Watch the mercury rise
Realize
[Break]
Everyone dies

[Outro]
You call this heaven?
Not even close to break-even

[End]

A SCIENCE NOTE
Most climate scientists are projecting a global temperature increase of over 2.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century. This escalation in temperature brings forth a cascade of devastating consequences.

As the thermometer creeps past the 2.0°C mark, the likelihood of extreme forest fires surges by up to 200 times, while the risk of flood damage doubles. Beyond this threshold, at 2.7°C, an alarming scenario unfolds where approximately 2 billion people find themselves displaced from the “climate niche” that has sustained human civilization for the past 10,000 years.

Should the mercury climb to 3.0°C, the outlook becomes even bleaker. Many coastal cities, including Miami, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, and The Hague, face the grim prospect of submersion under rising sea levels. This catastrophic inundation not only jeopardizes the lives and livelihoods of millions but also erases centuries of cultural heritage and economic prosperity. The consequences of failing to curb global warming are dire, with each incremental rise in temperature amplifying the severity of these impacts.

From the album “Nowadays” by The Beatless Sense Mongers

MegaEpix Enormous

A song about The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

• Aghast-in-Afghanistan.mp3
• Aghast-in-Afghanistan.mp4

Aghast in Afghanistan

[Verse 1]
When it rains
We’re poor
As it strains
Ever more

[Bridge]
Man, the Taliban Clan
Deprives the alive

[Break]
Strive to thrive
Aghast in Afghanistan

[Chorus]
Triggered torrents
Amount mounts
Lands ravaged
At the hands of the savage

[Instrumental, Oud, Zithers, Toms, Percussion]

[Verse 2]
When it reigns
We’re poor
As it pains
Ever more

[Bridge]
Man, the Taliban Clan
Deprives the alive

[Break]
Strive to thrive
Aghast in Afghanistan

[Chorus]
Triggered torrents
Amount mounts
Lands ravaged
At the hands of the savage

[Instrumental, Oud, Zithers, Toms, Percussion]

[Verse 3]
The reign rains
Pouring on the poor
Who remains
Under strains fore evermore

[Bridge]
Man, the Taliban Clan
Deprives the alive

[Break]
Strive to thrive
Aghast in Afghanistan

[Chorus]
Triggered torrents
Amount mounts
Lands ravaged
At the hands of the savage

[Outro]
Strive to thrive
Aghast in Afghanistan

[End]

A SCIENCE NOTE
Afghanistan has been devastated by flash floods that claimed the lives of over 300 people, according to the UN’s World Food Programme. The catastrophe unfolded as heavy rains triggered torrents of water and mud, wreaking havoc across multiple provinces. Authorities swiftly declared a state of emergency and launched rescue efforts to aid the injured.

The aftermath of the floods left villages submerged and agricultural lands ravaged, prompting a massive humanitarian response. Aid organizations described the situation as dire, with many areas facing isolation due to the floodwaters.

Rana Deraz, a communications officer for the UN agency in Afghanistan, provided grim statistics: “In Baghlan province alone, there are 311 fatalities, with 2,011 houses destroyed and 2,800 houses damaged. The number of missing persons remains high.”

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid expressed condolences, acknowledging the loss of “hundreds of our fellow citizens” in the calamitous floods.

Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur for human rights in Afghanistan, highlighted the broader implications, emphasizing that the floods serve as “a stark reminder of Afghanistan’s vulnerability to the climate crisis.”

From the album “Nowadays” by The Beatless Sense Mongers

MegaEpix Enormous

A song about The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

• Roller-Coaster-Incident.mp3
• Roller-Coaster-Incident.mp4

Keep your hands and feet
On your seat

[Verse 1]
Hold on as your roller coaster rolls on
(Rolls on and on)
Clicking toward the top
Like a ticking clock
(Tick, Tick, Tick Tick)
The alarm just won’t
[Break]
Stop!
[Chorus]
Screaming toward the other side
Reside in collide as you slide…
From on top
And the alarm just won’t stop

[Verse 2]
Is your coaster beyond coasting
Is it boasting of roasting
Drought than flood
Then mud then drought
Is there any doubt?

[Chorus]
Screaming toward the other side
Reside in collide as you slide…
From on top
And the alarm just won’t stop

[Bridge]
Our coaster’s coming off the rails
It never fails

[Instrumental, Guitar Solo, Sub-Bass]

[Verse 3]
Is your coaster beyond coasting
Is it boasting of roasting n’ toasting
Is your coaster off the rails
It never fails
[Break]
Derails

[Bridge]
Our coaster’s coming off the rails
It never fails

[Chorus]
Screaming toward the other side
Reside in collide as you slide…
From on top
And the alarm just won’t stop
[Break]
Stop!

[End]

A SCIENCE NOTE
This song uses the metaphor of a roller coaster to depict the unpredictable and dangerous trajectory of climate change. The roller coaster represents humanity’s journey through the impacts of climate change, with its ups and downs symbolizing extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and mudslides.

In the verses, the lyrics describe the roller coaster’s relentless movement, comparing it to a ticking clock and emphasizing the feeling of being out of control. The repetition of “the alarm just won’t stop” suggests a sense of urgency and the constant warning signs of environmental crises.

The chorus reflects the sense of impending disaster as the roller coaster hurtles towards “the other side,” a metaphor for the unknown future shaped by climate change. The collision imagery implies the collision of different environmental forces and the inevitable consequences of inaction.

The bridge introduces the idea of the roller coaster coming off the rails, symbolizing the breakdown of systems and the failure to address climate change effectively. The repetition of “It never fails” underscores the inevitability of disaster if urgent action is not taken.

The song conveys a sense of urgency and the need for collective action to address the climate crisis before it’s too late.

From the album “Nowadays” by The Beatless Sense Mongers

MegaEpix Enormous

A song about The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

• On-Our-Way.mp3
• On-Our-Way.mp4

Awake?

[Verse 1]
Do you wonder how long
Will this go on
How long
Till we see it’s gone wrong?

[Bridge]
(They say) Can’t put off today
Your yesterday
(In play) We’re on our way
To self-judgement day

[Chorus]
Can you stand naked before Mother
And swear you’ve done no harm
Will you sacrifice your brother
To avoid your squirm
[Break]
Quick to learn

[Instrumental, Guitar Solo, Drum Fills]

[Verse 2]
Do you wonder the length
Of time we rely on
Whether we’ve strength
To carry on (and on and on)

[Bridge]
(They say) Can’t put off today
Your yesterday
(In play) We’re on our way
To self-judgement day

[Chorus]
Can you stand naked before Mother
And swear you’ve done no harm
Will you sacrifice your brother
To avoid your squirm
[Break]
Quick to learn

[Instrumental, Guitar Solo, Drum Fills]

[Verse 3]
Do you wonder the heights
To which we’ve gone
To set things off right
And, carry on (and on and on)

[Break]
(They say) Can’t put off today
Your yesterday
(In play) We’re on our way
To self-judgement day

[Chorus]
Can you stand naked before Mother
And swear you’ve done no harm
Will you sacrifice your brother
To avoid your squirm
[Outro]
Quick to learn

A SCIENCE NOTE
The song delves into the introspection and accountability necessary in confronting the reality of climate change.

In the verses, questions are posed about the duration of our ignorance and the realization of the wrongness of our actions. The repetition of “on and on” suggests a cyclical nature to our behavior and the ongoing consequences we face.

The bridge introduces the idea of facing consequences for our actions, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the problem before it’s too late. The reference to “self-judgment day” implies a reckoning with our own choices and their impact on the planet.

The chorus challenges listeners to confront their role in environmental degradation, asking if they can honestly claim to have done no harm and if they would sacrifice others to avoid accountability. The break underscores the need for swift comprehension and action.

Instrumental sections with guitar solos and drum fills add intensity and urgency to the message, reinforcing the gravity of the situation.

The song serves as a call to awareness and responsibility, urging individuals to confront the reality of climate change and take meaningful action to mitigate its effects.

From the album “Nowadays” by The Beatless Sense Mongers

MegaEpix Enormous

A song about The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

• On-the-Verge-of-an-Abyss.mp3
• On-the-Verge-of-an-Abyss.mp4

She said,
Hanging by a thread
A near miss
On the verge of an abyss

[Verse 1]
She said,
Hanging by a thread
Can’t miss this:
On the verge of an abyss

[Bridge]
Teetering on the edge
On the verge

[Chorus]
Anticipating prevaricating
The same ole narrating
What are we going to do
I’m asking you
[Break]
What are we going to do?

[Instrumental, Bass, Drum Fills]

[Verse 2]
Not far from dead
Hanging by a thread
Bubble popped bliss
On the verge of an abyss

[Bridge]
Teetering on the edge
On the verge

[Chorus]
Anticipating prevaricating
The same ole narrating
What are we going to do
I’m asking you
[Break]
What are we going to do?

[Instrumental, Saxophone Solo, Bass]

[Verse 3]
Thought stuck in my head:
Hanging by a thread
Can’t get over this:
On the verge of an abyss

[Bridge]
Teetering on the edge
On the verge

[Chorus]
Anticipating prevaricating
The same ole narrating
What are we going to do
I’m asking you
[Break]
What are we going to do?

[Outro]
The scientists envisage a ‘semi-dystopian’ future
Is this what we want… are you sure?

[End]

A SCIENCE NOTE
The world is on the verge of a climate abyss, the UN has warned, in response to a Guardian survey that found that hundreds of the world’s foremost climate experts expect global heating to soar past the international target of 1.5C.

The Guardian reports, “Many of the scientists envisage a ‘semi-dystopian’ future, with famines, conflicts and mass migration, driven by heatwaves, wildfires, floods and storms of an intensity and frequency far beyond those that have already struck.”
The UN has issued a stark warning in response to a Guardian survey revealing that hundreds of leading climate experts anticipate global heating to surpass the international target of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“The goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is teetering on the edge,” remarked the official spokesperson for António Guterres, the UN secretary-general. “The battle to preserve the 1.5-degree target will be decisive in the 2020s, under the leadership of today’s political and industry leaders. They must grasp the gravity of the situation. The science is unequivocal, and so are the world’s scientists: the stakes for humanity have never been higher.”

Alok Sharma, president of the Cop26 climate summit in 2021, emphasized the urgency of the Guardian’s survey results, urging governments to act swiftly on their climate commitments. He underscored the need for world leaders to fulfill their promise to transition away from fossil fuels, as pledged at Cop28 in December.

Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief who played a pivotal role in the 2015 Paris climate agreement where the 1.5-degree Celsius goal was established, urged collective action in response to the scientists’ warnings. She emphasized that while the scientists have provided the data, it is now up to the global community to determine the necessary actions to transform the seemingly impossible into reality.

From the album “Nowadays” by The Beatless Sense Mongers

MegaEpix Enormous

A song about The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

• Apt-to-Adapt.mp3
• Apt-to-Adapt.mp4

[Verse]
In the thick of the jungle
A battle’s begun
Climate adaptation
We’re out in the sun
Frictions and uncertainties
They’re tearing us apart
Lower technology adoption
It’s a poison dart

[Verse 2]
Beliefs are inaccurate
It’s a dangerous game
Monetary losses
They’re causing us pain
We’re stuck in a cycle
We can’t break free
The cost of ignorance
It’s plain to see

[Chorus]
Apt to Adapt
The road is rough
Jungle rock revival
We’ve had enough
Frictions and losses
They’re driving us mad
It’s time to rise up
Take a stand

[Bridge]
Apt to adapt
Pick yourself up by the bootstrap

[Instrumental, Saxophone Solo]

[Verse 3]
Beliefs just are not true
What are you going to do
Losses mount
Can’t you count?

[Chorus]
Apt to Adapt
The road is rough
Jungle rock revival
We’ve had enough
Frictions and losses
They’re driving us mad
It’s time to rise up
Take a stand

[Outro]
Crap!
Can I adapt?

[End]

A SCIENCE NOTE

As the climate changes, efficient climate policy requires a better understanding of how individuals adapt. Despite extensive research on various climate adaptation frictions, including financial and technological constraints, models of adaptive decision-making assume that agents have perfect information and accurate beliefs about climate. Combining rural household data in Bangladesh with a meteorological measure of dryness, this paper studies the role of individual drought beliefs and their accuracy in irrigation decisions as a key adaptive margin. In a theoretical model, I introduce a behavioral friction to document how heterogeneous beliefs differentially influence responsiveness to the same meteorological signal in dryness. The empirical analysis reveals an asymmetric response to dry shocks in irrigation conditional on the accuracy of prior beliefs. A counterfactual analysis shows lower technology adoption levels and higher monetary losses when beliefs are inaccurate.
— from “Adapting to climate change accounting for individual beliefs”

From the album “Nowadays” by The Beatless Sense Mongers

MegaEpix Enormous

A song about The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment