Water

By Kate O’Connor (2017)

Consider our water, roaming over the earth 
Cascading and flowing, from the place of it’s birth 
From a raindrop to oceans, bearing millions of ships 
There’s no life without water, sweet grace on our lips 

Water, water, thank you for giving me life 
Water, water, flowing through all my days and nights 
Silver blessings, on the land, in the ground, in the sky 
Water, water, in my blood, in my cells, in my eyes 

Consider our water, flowing near where we dwell 
Abundance or absence, can be heaven or hell 
Poison our waters, and life is undone 
Protect our good water, good life flows along 

Water, water, thank you for giving me life 
Water, water, flowing through all my days and nights 
Silver blessings, on the land, in the ground, in the sky 
Water, water, in my blood, in my cells, in my eyes 

Protecting our water, we must make a stand 
Before everyone’s good life, flows out of our hands 
Protect all our waters, as they cascade and flow 
Water’s sweetness will fill us, wherever we go 

Water, water, thank you for giving me life 
Water, water, flowing through all my days and nights 
Silver blessings, on the land, in the ground, in the sky 
Water, water, in my blood, in my cells, in my eyes

Climate healing plan

by Kate O’Connor 2018 

(Based on the book "Drawdown" and many other sources, especially the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and The Union of Concerned Scientists) 

Our climate is in trouble, but we’re making some repairs. 
Many dedicated people, find solutions everywhere. 
Many more good people truly care, 
But lose hope when gloom and doom seem to permeate the air 

REFRAIN I 

You can, I can, make a climate healing plan, you can, we can, heal our world. 
You can, I can, make a climate healing plan, you can, we can, heal our world. 

You can join in the solutions; you can always play a part. 
You can ask a lot of questions as you’re learning where to start. 
You can start small, a little every day. 
You can ask for help to guide you on your way. 

You can, I can, make a climate healing plan, you can, we can, heal our world. 
You can, I can, make a climate healing plan, you can, we can, heal our world. 

You can eat a plant based diet, a big impact every day. 
You can bring a beverage bottle, cut down on plastic waste. 
Avoid buying foods with palm oil. 
You can buy organic foods grown in climate healing soils. 

You can, I can, make a climate healing plan, you can, we can, heal our world. 
You can, I can, make a climate healing plan, you can, we can, heal our world. 

REFRAIN II Heal our world, heal our world.  Heal our world, heal our world. 

Reduce your consumption. Protect and plant more trees, 
Which remove and store carbon from the soil up to their leaves. 
Use recycled paper, everytime you can. 
Support silviopasture, regrow trees on pastureland.  REFRAIN I 

You can tell your congress people to enact a carbon fee, 
So greenhouse gas producers don’t cause climate change for free. 
The trillion dollars spent on nuclear bombs 
Could fund alternatives, jobs for all and help us get along.  REFRAIN I & ll 

(This is an abridged version of this song for performance.  Please see the original full length song with 20 verses for more information about great solutions to prevent and heal climate change)

Emergency

By Kate O'Connor (2019)

CHORUS    

Emergency, emergency, our house is on fire. 
Emergency, emergency, flames are creeping higher. 
Emergency, emergency, the time to act is now. 
Emergency, emergency, we know the ways how, to heal. 

We must act now, react now, we don’t have much time. The waters are rising, 
we need to stop their climb.  Life as we know it is disappearing fast. 
Immediate action’s required for our world to last…  CHORUS 

We must act now, react now, we don’t have much time. Preserving our forests, 
to clear our air and climate. Fresh water, our life’s blood, is disappearing fast. 
Immediate action’s required for our world to last… CHORUS 

For a livable climate, we must act now.  Build renewable energy, we must act now. 
Save carbon storing forests, we must act now.  Elect honest leaders, we must act now 
Enact a green new deal, we must act now.  Reduce eating livestock, we must act now. 
Eat organic no till food, we must act now. For all our children’s futures, we must act now. CHORUS 

Eat plant centered diets, we must act now. 
Eat foods without palm oil, we must act now. 
Ban toxic pesticides, we must act now. 
Ban burning biofuels, we must act now. 
Restore mangrove forests, we must act now. 
Composting our food waste, we must act now. 
For birds and bees and mammals, we must act now. 
For justice and equity, we must act now. CHORUS 

Use recycled paper, we must act now. 
Recycling HFCs, we must act now. 
Ride more trains and less planes, we must act now. 
Reuse beverage bottles, we must act now. 
Insulate all our buildings, we must act now. 
Building geothermal, we must act now. 
Plant more carbon storing forests, we must act now.    
To prevent mass starvation, we must act now. CHORUS, CHORUS

Trees Are Amazing

by Kate O'Connor (2021)

Trees are amazing for all the things they do. 
Trees cool our climate, clean air for me and you. 
Trees are amazing, breathing carbon gases in. 
Trees store the carbon, give us lots of oxygen. 

CHORUS 

Let forests grow old, and return to their former lands. 
Trees create a livable climate 
when we leave them where they stand. 

Trees are amazing, storing water in the ground. 
Trees are the masters at slowing water down. 
Trees bring fresh water to the inland from the sea.
Trees reduce flooding, make good soils for you and me. CHORUS 

Trees are amazing, but we grow more cows than trees. 
More forests are left cut down to make space for feeding beef. 
Trees need to grow back where these cows are living now. 
It takes 30x less land to grow plant protein instead of cows. CHORUS 

(Bridge)  Trees are in trouble, won’t you hear our urgent plea. 
Do all you can to help them heal our earth for you and me. 

Use recycled paper to wipe your butt and blow your nose. 
Use bamboo for floors and paper, it’s good how fast it grows. 
Trees are amazing, they’re the masters of drawdown. 
Moving greenhouse gases from the sky to store them in the ground. CHORUS 

Trees are amazing to build our homes and huts. 
Trees are amazing, giving fodder, fruit and nuts. 
But trees cause pollution when they’re burned for energy. 
Power should come from wind and sun, never from a tree. 

DOUBLE CHORUS