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Tadeusz

(POLAND 39)

Sex

male

Age

43

Occupation

farmer

Location

P

Date

P

summary

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Section 1  Although he is a farmer, beekeeping is his main livelihood as “agriculture is rather unprofitable these days”. To him, beekeeping is his “life passion ... you have to sacrifice yourself totally” and he discusses it at length.
Section 2  Notices a few changes in the weather, in particular an increase in extremes, such as droughts, floods and heavy rains: “the contrasts are something new in our climate”. Believes this to be caused “mainly by men’s activity: economic development”. Also notes that the forests are becoming thinner and there are more mixed forests than before. Says tourism used to be profitable when it was German territory, but “has never flourished here since these regions belong to Poland”.
Section 3  Local industry is disappearing and so “a lot of young people cannot find jobs for themselves”. Farming, too, is difficult and unprofitable; people used to feel “more attached to their farms”. “Today, fewer and fewer people deal with agriculture and farming, so the rhythm of the nature is not so closely connected with people’s life and work.” The river “is not polluted, but it used to be cleaner”.
Section 4  He cannot imagine doing anything else but being a beekeeper. If he were to leave the area, he “would miss the silence” most.
Section 5  Thinks the flood may have happened because of deforestation, but “it is rather impossible” to prevent flooding as “these are so strong natural elements”. However, “we can diminish the consequences of natural disasters, or, somehow, try to protect ourselves”. Feels “pity” when he see how nature is changing and that young people may never see certain plants..