Podcast Group (Nina, Jordan,Gavin)

The hosts, Jordan and Nina, interview their classmate Gavin about the Maui wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii. The fire was caused by fallen power lines and has had a devastating impact on the residents and the environment. They discuss the need to help the people of Lahaina and reduce carbon footprint to prevent future wildfires. They also mention the importance of environmental justice and suggest ways individuals can contribute, such as offering homes, donating to trusted organizations, and volunteering. They highlight the impact on drinking water and the need to protect life sources. They propose improving fire education and reforesting the area as solutions. The wildfire has disproportionately affected residents and their economy due to dependence on tourism. They conclude by emphasizing the importance of protecting the environment and helping those in need. Hello, my name is Jordan. I'm a 9th grader at SAS and I'm 14 and I'm your host today with my co-host Nina. Hi, my name is Nina. I am also a 9th grader at SAS. Today we will be interviewing our classmate Gavin. Hi, I'm a 9th grader at SAS and I'm 14 and I like to play soccer. Very nice. Today we will be talking about the environmental issue we've been investigating. We will be discussing the topic of the Maui wildfires that have taken place in Lahaina, a town in western Maui located in the United States of America. If you don't know where Maui is, Maui is a volcanic island in Hawaii. The Maui fire started on the morning of August 8th, which appeared to have been caused by power lines that fell in high winds. The Associated Press reported Saturday that bare electrical wires that could spark on contact and leaning... Wait, let me say that again. The Maui fire started on the morning of August 8th, which appeared to have been caused by power lines that fell in high winds. The Associated Press reported Saturday that bare electrical wires that could spark on contact and leaning pulled on Maui were the possible cause. What do you think about what is happening in Maui right now, Gavin? Maui is in bad condition right now because of the wildfires. I think we need to find a way to help save the people who live in Lahaina and give Maui as many resources as we can for somewhere to stay while Lahaina is being rebuilt. I can add on to that. What do we think we can do from Seattle to help the people in Maui? Donate money, get people to, like groups of people to fly over there and help rebuild the community. Yeah, all good stuff. Did you know that Lahaina is home to the Bayan tree? It is over 150 years old. That's a really long time. It was scorched by the last fires, but recently its leaves were beginning to sprout again. The climate crisis is making wildfires and other extreme weather events more likely, meaning that these wildfires could happen again if we don't take care of our planet. What do we think our own carbon footprint does to impact the planet and what can we change? Our carbon footprint impacts the planet because we pollute the planet with the manufacturing we do, airplanes, cars, and more. We can help the environment if we all work together to cut less forest down, use less power around databases, and manufacture less goods. It was the nation's deadliest wildfire in over a century. What do we think we can do to prevent another situation like this wildfire in Lahaina happening again? We can learn how to be more prepared for fires, cutting down greenhouse emissions, and improving forest management. What can we do to be more prepared for fires besides that? Build shelters, have resources, etc. How does this issue relate to justice? This issue affects environmental justice because it doesn't only impact the people of Lahaina, but also the environment that surrounds it. What can we do to help out Lahaina's environment as an individual, Gavin? We can help out Lahaina ourselves by offering a home for someone that has lost theirs. Donate to an organization that you can trust that will help Maui, or even volunteer at a food bank or a free clothing shop. Wildfires have affected the drinking water, causing Lahaina to have to get resources from other areas because theirs is not safe. Because of the environment in Lahaina right now, there are so many life sources being affected. What do we think we can do to minimize the amount of damage done to those life sources, Gavin? We can improve our fire education system so more people are aware on how to control the fires before they spread even farther. As well as knowing how to not start a fire that is going to be unsafe. How are we going to prevent these wildfires from happening? Based on federal data, exotic grasses and bushes have covered nearly 25% of Hawaii's surface area, providing fuel for wildfires. Reforesting the area or planting native trees are two possible ways to cover the region with less combustible vegetation and lower Hawaii's danger of wildfires. The environmental issue of the Lahaina wildfire disproportionately impacts one group over another. It impacts the residents more because the wildfires have put them out of their homes and impacted their economy because Lahaina and Maui depend on tourism to support residents' income to thrive. Some of the solutions to our environmental problems in Maui is we can learn how to be more prepared for fires, cut down greenhouse emissions, and improve forest management. To conclude, the Maui wildfires in Lahaina have been extremely devastating, not just to the residents but the environment surrounding them. We should do all we can to protect our carbon footprint and to help those in need in Lahaina. Well, we'd like to thank Gavin so much for coming to our podcast. Gavin? Thank you. You're welcome. What made you want to come do the podcast, Gavin? Yeah, what was your inspiration? The Maui wildfires were very important to me because I've been to Maui before and I thought it's a pretty cool topic. Okay, thank you for listening. Thank you so much, Gavin. Thank you so much for listening to our podcast about the Maui wildfires taking place in Lahaina, and have a great day.