12A

Choosing a segment: For this assignment, I chose a segment of older-aged people who are aware of the harm fossil fuels have had on the environment and want to make a difference for future generations. These people have experience and have seen the impact of fossil fuels over time.     

Interview information: The first person I interviewed said they first realized fossil fuels were a problem in the late 1970s-early 1980s when gas had to be rationed. She said she sees this problem occurring most when gas prices fluctuate. The first thing she would do to find a solution to this problem is to look within herself and adjust her daily lifestyle. The examples she used were to use less gas, use less energy, use more renewable resources, eliminate plastic, and recycle more. If she were to use google to find a solution regarding this problem, her search would be “best way to save energy”. She said she mostly talks to friends about fossil fuels impact on the environment and it is a regular conversation she has. The second person I interviewed said they first realized this problem existed in the 1970s when there was a shortage of gas and used to be long lines in order to obtain gas. She sees the fossil fuel problem most notably in China via the news, but is aware of its impact in the US. The first step she would take to find a solution to this problem is voting someone in office who feels strongly about helping save the environment. She would want to get the fossil fuel lobbyist’s out of government. If she were to use google to find a solution regarding this problem, her search would be “fossil fuels” and go from there. She talks to her husband about the fossil fuel problem, but it is mostly internal. She watches programs that discuss the impact of fossil fuels including a lot of National Geographic. The third person I interviewed said the first time they realized fossil fuels were a problem was the Chernobyl Disaster in the 1980s. He sees this problem occurring mostly in China because of the air pollution problem. The first step he would take in order to find a solution to this problem is to focus on natural gas. His google search regarding solutions to this problem would be “solutions for fossil fuels”. He keeps this situation mostly internal but has started talking more to his family about it fossil fuels have become more of a problem.

What I learned: I learned that fossil fuels have been a problem for a long time, as all three of my interviewees remembered it causing harm in the 1970s and 1980s. These people care about making a difference for future generations but know the government will need to be a large part of that. They all noted that gas is one of the main sources of this problem and the focus should be on reducing or replacing that. These three people feel strongly about this issue, but mostly keep it inside or just talk to family about it. They all mentioned they get this information from watching the news or shows about it, showing me that they keep up with this problem and want to learn more about it.

How I would describe this segment: This segment wants to help make a difference to the deteriorating environment, but isn’t going to go out of their way to find a solution. They seem like they would support an alternative method of generating energy when that becomes available. They don’t research deep into the subject but like to keep up with the situation as more information is released about it.