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Our Exclusive Interviews | The Interviews
with four individuals who have been affected
Jonathan | Samantha | James | [anonymous]
[Click here if you wish to go back to the interviews page.]
.01 Jonathan
Questions:
What is your name?
My name is Jonathan.
Where do you live?
I currently reside in Santa Barbara, California. However, I travel to Los Angeles quite
frequently.
What is your occupation?
I am an investment manager full-time, but I am an amateur environmentalist.
Tell us what you know about this weather phenomenon called El Niņo.
I know a great deal about El Niņo, I have studied it in depth and its effects to whale
migration right off the coast here.
How has El Niņo affected you?
El Niņo has given us very different effects, I find it difficult to classify them as
either wet or dry. However, the most devastating effects have been from excess rain we
have received. So, I guess it is wet.
How has it effected your lives?
It has effected our lives here dramatically. Many homes have been devastated.
Do you think that we will be able to find some type of solution?
Finding a solution to El Niņo is impossible. We can only learn to cope with the
conditions it brings. Just like we can not find a solution to Earthquakes here in
California, we can not find a solution to this effect of nature.
From your knowledge, are others effected?
Of course others are effected. El Niņo is a global concern. In fact, I am sure that many
countries are effected far worse than we have been in the United States.
What has your local or national goverment done?
The government did respond with shelters and relief for those who lost their homes.
However, I believe that their aid was insufficient.
Has it affected tourism in your area?
I am not familiar with how El Niņo effects tourism. Although I can imagine it does in
some ways.
What do you know about El Niņo affecting food shortages or diseases?
Like I said, I am sure some countries were effected worse than us. I can see how it can
create a food shortage with its floods or dry spells. It is also evident that El Niņo can
cause the spread of disease. However, in Santa Barbara or Los Angeles, we can go to the
supermarket and pick up food or go to the doctor when we are sick. Maybe food prices were
slightly escalated, but there was no famine.
Has the fishing industry been affected?
The fishing industry is effected greatly. Like I stated before, I study the effects of El
Niņo on whale migration. This late migration caused by variations in the water
temperatures, due to El Niņo, effects the fishing industry. Fisherman in the Pacific must
be much more careful in their efforts to avoiding catching whales. Also, whales often
effect fish distribution off the coast of California.
.02 Samantha
Questions:
What is your name?
My name is Samantha.
Where do you live?
I am from New York [New York City]/
What is your occupation?
I am systems analyst.
Tell us what you know about this weather phenomenon called El Niņo.
I was not famillira with El Niņo at all until it received a great deal of news coverage
this year. Now, I do know about it.
How has El Niņo affected you?
I am not sure. However, I do know that we had a very mild winter this season. There was
very little snow.
How has it effected your lives?
I am an avid skier and this year, I was not able to ski too much. Like I was just saying,
El Nin made this winter very mild. I was exgremely disappointed.
Do you think that we will be able to find some type of solution?
A solution? I am just glad that it does not happen every year. I think the whole word
would benefit from a solution, but I am not sure if that is possible.
From your knowledge, are others effected?
I am sure others are effected. I am not the only one who likes to ski!
What has your local or national goverment done?
The goverment has other things to worry about other than ski resorts. I am sure that it
resonded to mo