Melaura

Today I got some unfortunate news, along with the endangerment of our bees, a piece of their marketing/promotion team has died. "The bee protector shop" has had to close due to Covid's impact and their remaining stock is being sold at sale prices. Bees are an often misunderstood and integral part of any ecosystem. They benefit humans and all plant life on earth through their pollination, honey and wax production and finally through their ultimate sacrifice to the many species of birds and other important insects that prey on them. Long story short: bees help create our food! I personally believe very strongly in protecting bees of every different colour, size and species for a multitude of reasons I will explain in a post later on. In fact, it is that love of and protection of the bees that drew me to find this company and it's demise today, resulting in becoming an affiliate member. With that in mind, I would like to extend some savings to you: Use this promo code at their shop (thebeeprotectors.shop) and save a few %: MELISSA970. I hope more than anything that the remaining stock from this company and this post gathers some attention for our little fuzzy friends and gives them another chance to repopulate without pesticides choking them. Knowledge is power, spread it like wildflowers! :)

What does a song have to do with the environment? A lot! Songs can communicate and ingrain much stronger motivation and more complex ideas to a broader audience than in-depth reports or academic lectures. Communication is key for collaborating in favour of planetary sustainability and environmental protection. To double down on this, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video must be worth a million and a music video worth a trillion! This forms the basis of Melaura’s mission. So let’s get down to the details of how this little ditty was developed and why it exists. Chase the sun has an upbeat summer sound that inspires happiness and mental health. It’s lyrics and actionable links to be added in future blog posts (including this one) motivate and provide opportunities for Melaura’s listeners to join in solutions for environmental topics/concerns, while remaining happy! Chase the sun was produced with this in mind, every aspect of this project has been created locally and sustainably, from the recording at Electric City Recording in Victoria (Audio Production: Daniel Martins, Audio Mastering: Justin LaPointe Music) using only local musicians (Vocals and Rhythm Guitar: Melaura, Guitar: Billy Pennell, Bass Guitar: Sheldon Bordal and Drums: Sean Mitchell) and a local project assistant (Linda Bracken), to the organic makeup (The Body Shop and Physician's Formula Organics) and sustainable clothing (Radway Studio and Boutique) in the video produced by Arrowsmith Aerial Photography in Nanaimo. All funding for this recording and video was acquired through Melaura’s employment as a local music teacher in Duncan, as well as through local donations at performances. This attempts to demonstrate the feasibility of sustainable practices in all industries, including the arts. In her music video, Melaura reveals the beauty of many local ecosystems, which are diminishing and threatened by increasing consumption. She advocates for positive initiative in environmental solutions, while sharing the story of her return to Vancouver Island and to emotional well being after many trials and tribulations. The beautiful video presents scenes from endangered Garry Oak forests, threatened ocean vistas, historic cityscape and a community based history and conservation centre (BC Forest Discovery Centre (http://bcforestdiscoverycentre.com/?page_id=110)). These sets were intentionally chosen to encourage support for ecological protection and sustainability through additional resources, which will be provided in this blog. Please continue to check here for future projects and related community posts to help improve our remaining wild areas. This song’s lyrics and video storyline speak to Melaura’s concerns. Raised in the wilds of Canada, Melaura is uncomfortable in cities, especially when she is forced into such as environmentally destructive situations, such as consumer-based employment. She has attempted to leave this discomfort behind and focus on creating a positive future for our planet, “we’ve seen the light. 'Cause it ain’t no fun, where your from”.” Your green holds you down, but ours keeps us round” refers to the duality of money and horticulture, while emphasizing the freedom of sustainable practices in the next line: “Your fears are small in the wake of it all. Come home, come home to your roots and soul”. This song’s chorus refers both literally to returning to the sunny summers of the west coast, as well as metaphorically to a personal state of happiness and a brighter future for the planet. The last line in the bridge: “while air’s still free” is meant to be punchy, but could possibly become a truthful prediction of our future. Given the current state of water pricing in impoverished communities and pricey medical oxygen, there may one day be some truth to privatizing air. At this time, the line is intended to just be a catchy way of making the more imminent point of our dwindling resources overall.  Throughout the song there is intentional upbeat movement through the rhythm and melody to provide hope and an auditory experience of how our society is moving towards the light through many campaigns, developments and positive cultural changes for the environment. I hope you enjoyed this video and don’t forget to look below or add your input for more ways to be part of the action!

Your turn! Let me know what you think.