Simple SO answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10435820/bind-handlebars-to-application-object-in-ember-js

HTML

<script src="http://cloud.github.com/downloads/emberjs/ember.js/ember-0.9.4.js"></script>
<script type="text/x-handlebars">
    {{App.playerObj.stats.basic}} Scrap <br />
    <button {{action "click" target="App.playerController"}}>Add Scrap</button>
</script>

JavaScript

var get = Ember.get, getPath = Ember.getPath, set = Ember.set, setPath = Ember.setPath;

App = Ember.Application.create();

set(App, 'playerObj', Object.create({
    stats:Ember.Object.create({
        basic: 10,
        premium: 20
    })
}));

set(App, 'playerController', Ember.Object.create({
    click: function(view) {
        getPath(App, 'playerObj.stats').incrementProperty('basic', 10);
    }
}));


App.timersController = Ember.ArrayController.create({
    content: [],
    createTimer: function(){
        var timer = App.Timer.create();
        this.pushObject(timer);
    },
    click: function(view) {
        getPath(App, 'playerObj.stats').incrementProperty('basic', 10);
    }
});