Before Dave Burd became a television star and producer of his FXX Network comedy “Dave” this March, the Philly burbs-born Burd was known as a goofball comic rapper named Lil Dicky that, along with a predilection for dick jokes, had a deep and abiding love for our planet, and its care-taking.
Those combined loves not only found Burd creating a short film, last year, this Earth Day – today April 22 – entitled “Earth” with fellow local Kevin Hart, Sia, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, Adam Levine, Shawn Mendes, Charlie Puth, Miley Cyrus, Lil Jon, Rita Ora, Miguel, Meghan Trainor, Joel Embiid, John Legend, Psy, Bad Bunny, Backstreet Boys, Leonardo DiCaprio and more lending their voices to animated characters. For this Earth Day, Burd and his associated charities raised nearly a million dollars, so far, for climate change foundations and COVID-19 relief organizations.
Keep telling those dick jokes, G, if that’s what’s making the charitable monies roll in.
“Earth,” the film, has actually surpassed 750 million streams globally and continues to bring much-needed attention to the climate change crisis to which the current coronavirus pandemic is the most notorious.
“I’m very honored and humbled that we’re able to give this money to these organizations and super thankful of all of the artists on this song who made this possible,” said Burd in a prepared statement. “And of course, thank you to every Earthling out there for listening and spreading the word. Unfortunately, the fight to save this planet isn’t even close to over, and we’re going to have to amplify our efforts way more to turn this thing around. Because pretty soon, it’ll be too late… Even though times have never been scarier with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has shown me something: that we can modify our day-to-day behavior to adapt to a crisis when it’s right in front of us. Even if you don’t feel the climate crisis at every moment, it is truthfully right in front of us. And all across the world, humanity has banded together to combat the spread of COVID-19, putting convenience aside for the greater good. If we keep that same energy and apply it towards the environment, we can probably save the Earth. We should definitely do that.”
The following six organizations will each receive a $100,000 grant. These grantees are all on the frontlines fighting the climate crisis in three major categories: renewable energy, protecting nature and sustainable food.
Amazon Frontlines – Building power with indigenous peoples to protect the Amazon rainforest and our climate.
Carbon Cycle Institute – Advancing carbon farming and regenerative agricultural land management to build soil carbon as a central climate strategy on ranches and farms throughout the U.S.
Global Greengrants Fund – Funding grassroots level regenerative agriculture efforts, a method of farming that restores the health and biodiversity of farmland and draws carbon back into the soil.
Quick Response Fund for Nature – Funding rapid response land acquisition, a proven conservation strategy to protect properties crucial to conserving threatened and endangered species.
Shark Conservation Fund – Protecting shark and ray species which are critical to the health of our oceans.
The Solutions Project – Accelerating the transition to 100% clean energy by providing real-time support to pivotal frontline leaders and organizations in the U.S.
In addition to the $600,000 to these organizations, given the current situation with COVID-19, Burd will also allocate $215,000 to launch a COVID-19 x Climate Response Fund in partnership with the Solutions Project. This will fund organizations coordinating response efforts in areas deeply impacted by COVID-19 where climate injustice is already rampant—grants will be made to New York City (UPROSE, The Point), Los Angeles (East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, SCOPE), Philadelphia (Philly Thrive, A Just Philadelphia), and Indigenous populations throughout the United States (Native Renewables, Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation).
Watch the film, and give wisely.
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