Ecological concern and sustainability in the selected works of al gore (sum)

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM This study is an analysis of the ecological concerns and sustainability reflected in the selected literary works of Al Gore, pointing out the teachings on ec

Thai Nguyen University Batangas State University

Socialist Republic of Vietnam Republic of Philippines

PHUNG THI THU HA

ECOLOGICAL CONCERN AND SUSTAINABILITY

IN THE SELECTED WORKS OF AL GORE

Specialty: English Language and Literature

Ph D DISSERTATION SUMARY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

THAI NGUYEN, 2014

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

Advisor: Maria Luisa A Valdez, Ph.D

Reviewer No.1: Reviewer No.2: Reviewer No.3:

The Dissertation will be evaluated at the State Council held at:

………

At: hour date month year 2014

Dissertation can be found at the libraries:

- National library of Vietnam;

- Learning Resource Center - Thai Nguyen University;

- Library of International Training and Development Center;

- Library of Batangas State University, Philippines

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Global warming, climate change, a decrease in the area of the eternal ice cover, increasing sea level, ozone depletion, depletion of natural resources, bio-diversity degradation, severely narrowed natural forests, ocean acidification, acid rain, a great increase of the world population, urban sprawl, environmental pollution, breed depletion, spread of new diseases are the serious environmental problems that the world faces Therefore, the cause of environmental protection is a vital issue not only within some countries, or some of the areas but is also a global problem and one of the determinants of sustainable development, closely related to the socio-economic development of every single country in particular and the whole world in general

‘Global warming' and 'climate crisis' not only attracted the attention of scientists, educators, writers, poets, environmentalists around the world, but the recession serious environmental focus is also being studied by many senior leaders in the world and Al Gore

is among them

Albert Arnold Gore (Al Gore) is a former Vice President of the United States, the period of 1993-2001 He was the Democratic presidential nomination in 2000, and in 2007 he was co-authored by Nobel Prize for his having made great contributions to the study of global climate change

He was one of the world’s first advocates on environmental stewardship, who began to study the environment when he was at school The world really knows about him with his great concern for the ecological environment not only through international conferences or through the movement for environmental protection but also through his works written from the hearts of a person with a deep sense of the true value of the ecological environment

Among many of his great contributions to the protection of ecological environment in the world, two of Al Gore's books titled

‘Earth in the Balance’, his first book, published in 1992, and ‘An

Inconvenient Truth’, published in 2006, gave readers a lot of deep

feelings about the environmental situation in the world Along with other environmental activists, he has nurtured the good feelings of the people for Mother Earth, while evoking a sense of responsibility

of each person in the protection of ecological environment of Green planet, the only place where life can survive and develop

With a desire to learn more about the value of the ecological environment, sustainability and lessons on the respect for the as well

as environmental sense that the author wants to convey to the readers, especially young readers, the researchers chose to conduct

an analysis of two such works of Al Gore

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study is an analysis of the ecological concerns and sustainability reflected in the selected literary works of Al Gore, pointing out the teachings on ecological stewardship that may be drawn from the analysis which shall benefit the Vietnamese students

Specifically, the study sought answers to the following questions:

1 What reflections of the author on environment may be gleaned in the following selections:

1.1 Earth in the Balance; and

1.2 The Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of

Global Warming and What We Can Do About It?

2 How is ecological concern reflected in the selected works in terms of: 2.1 respecting Earth and life in all its diversity;

2.2 safeguarding Earth’s regenerative capacities;

2.3 caring for community life; and

2.4 appreciating Earth’s bounty and beauty?

3 How is sustainability manifested in the selections with regard to reconciliation of:

3.1 environmental demands;

3.2 social equity demands;

3.3 and economic demands?

4 What literary devices were used in unveiling Al Gore’s theme of ecological concern and sustainability?

5 What literary approaches are prevalent in the treatment of the selected works?

6 What teachings on ecological stewardship may be drawn from the analysis which shall benefit the Vietnamese students?

1.3 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study was undertaken to explore the ecological concern and its sustainability in the two selected works of Al Gore On that basis, the lessons learned in order to raise awareness of environmental protection for students of literature, sociology and the environment at Thai Nguyen University (TNU) in particular and all other students throughout TNU in general

The research analyzes the problems of ecology and sustainable development is reflected in the literature selected by Al Gore, on that basis, it finds out the lessons of ecological management for Vietnamese students

Likewise, this research tries to present the author's reflections

on the environment through the research works; the ecological concerns are reflected in the works in terms of respecting the Earth and life and its diversity, safeguarding the regenerative capacities of the Earth, caring for community life, and appreciating the beauty and bounty of the Earth; Sustainability in the selections related to the environmental demands, social demands and economic demands; literary devices Al Gore used to express his deep concern about ecology and sustainable development; and the common literary approaches in the selected works

This study used qualitative methods in the analysis of problems

of ecology and sustainable development in the two works of Al Gore Similarly, this analysis used the social and philosophical

approaches as the basis for the analysis Other approaches in literary criticism normally used in the analysis as the historical-critical, biographical criticism, psychology and criticism are not part of this study

This study also analyzes related content, which is a system of engineering analysis of the text and word processing The data analyzed in this study focuses on the model search and extraction of significance of the works selected for the study, the essential element

in the analysis of documents that were considered in the research process of this study

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Applicability of literary analysis is an integral part of the research is based on the importance of it Here are the different groups may use the results of this study:

TNUT managers: Research could provide TNU with a reference selecting development programs, projects and environmental policies in the member schools Research inspires them to conduct environmental activities related to respecting the earth and life in its diversity, protecting regeneration capacity of the earth, caring for community life, and appreciating the generosity of the Earth and its beauty in community education programs to achieve the benefits of an ecologically sustainable environment for all people regardless of gender, race, nationality and religion

Ecological experts: Research supports them in defining the role of the actions and decisions of their own in the protection of ecological environment With expertise and experience available,

they can inspire learners, listeners, and readers in organizing activities to encourage maintaining an environment in which the mediation of love environmental needs, social demands, and economic requirement of their workplace are the basic elements These suggestions can evoke, and guide them to the concerns about the environment and its sustainability Since then, the application of the principles developed into living and working guidelines in their conditions

Teachers: This study provides suggestions for teachers on the selection of themed lectures on environmental and sustainable development of ecological management, conservation of global resources, satisfying the needs of the present without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations

Students of literature: Research helps them acutely aware that global warming, ozone depletion, depletion of agricultural land and fisheries, depletion of water resources, pollution, acid rain, over-exploitation levels of natural resources etc were and are the dangers, and will threaten the lives of all species on earth On that basis, the formation of consciousness respect for the environment, actively participate in the protection and caring of the ecological environment are built

Others: This study, in addition to support for education professionals, literature, sociology, and environment, can assist researchers in other fields related to the ecological environment, such

as economics, construction, law, anthropology etc

Members of the community: This study helps them to understand that the planet's ecosystems are being degraded, in which

the human impact to the environment is the main cause, which evoke

a sense responsibility of each individual to the environment on earth

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter is presented with the end view of identifying the constructs of the study

RESEARCH LITERATURE

This section presents the published and unpublished researches that are related to the present study

SYNTHEIS OF LITERATURE REVIEWED

This section justifies the direct influence of the literary concept for this study and presents the similarities and differences of the literature cited in the current research

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This section presents the key issues in other words, is the main engine of the present study

DEFINITION OF TERMS

This section provides definitions of the terms used in the study,

in order to help the readers understand exactly what the researcher wanted to mention

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research methodology in terms of the research design and treatment of the materials studied

RESEARCH DESIGN

This study used qualitative methods in the analysis of problems

of ecological environment and its sustainability in the selected literature

Patton (2002) pointed out that the goal of qualitative data analysis is to explore the topic of interest, models, concepts, and knowledge Therefore, this study also analyzed the relevant content,

a systematic technique for analyzing text and word processing TREATMENT OF MATERIALS

The study sought to understand, exploit, and analyze the works selected for the purpose of finding out the concerns of Al Gore to the ecological environment and its sustainability

The research work is said to contain the moral values and social values, to help the reader aware of the social issues concerned; from which the reader identify attitudes toward social issues

This study analyzed the selected works in order to analyze the author's concern for the environment and ecological concerns are reflected in the work related to respecting the earth and life and its diversity, protecting the regeneration capacity of the earth, caring for community life, and appreciating the generosity and beauty of the

earth Sustainability in the selections is related to the needs of the environment, social demands and economic demands The literary tools used by Gore aims to express concern about the ecology and sustainable development; the literary approach common in the study

of the selected works

CHAPTER IV RESULTS AND DISCUSSION FINDINGS

The results of analysis and interpretation revealed that:

1 Reflections of the author on environment may be gleaned in 1.1 The selected work ‘Earth in the Balance’

Al Gore has faithfully described his observations about the alarming degradation of the world's ecological environment such as global warming, climate change, an area of the eternal ice cover are increasingly shrinking, sea level rise, ozone depletion, depletion of natural resources, biodiversity degradation, deforestation combustion phenomena causing widespread natural forest area shrunk severely weight, ocean acidification, acid rain, ideal population increase, urban sprawl, environmental pollution, depletion of physical race, new diseases spread

He pointed out the factors leading to increased temperature of the Earth, such as uncontrolled burning, burning of fossil fuels in the life of the people, especially the major industrial areas concentrated

in the most Most developed countries and developing countries discharged a huge amount of CO2 and other harmful gases such as methane and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere (Gore, part 1, p 22)

Al Gore stressed global warming is the main cause of environmental degradation Earth's temperature increase leads to ozone depletion (Gore, part 1 p 86), a natural shield giant earth help limit the harmful effects of heat directly from the sun Earth's

temperature thus increasing, the global climate change increasingly irregular and difficult to control

Rapid population growth is one of the focal point that Al Gore

is concerned Due to overpopulation, the basic needs of food, clean water, shelter, also becomes easier to control To ensure the life, man has constantly sought to exploit to the depletion of resources on the earth, causing serious deterioration of ecological environment, decrease the diversity of plant and animal species, leading to alarming situation of different types of pollution such as waste pollution, water pollution, air pollution, soil pollution…

From the above analysis can go to receive the world's ecological environment is degraded and one of the reasons mainly due to lack of human consciousness

1.2 The selected work ‘An Inconvenient Truth’

Following the success of the book "Earth in the Balance ', Al Gore once again share a deep concern before implementation of environmental degradation in the world ‘An Inconvenient Truth' Unlike the way in which he expressed in the book published in

1992, Al Gore shared with readers a series of vivid images of the Earth and the charts, diagrams containing persuasive information to clarify the issues as the focus of world ecology

Industrial pollution emissions have led to the accumulation of CO2, the most dangerous emissions of the gases due to the greenhouse effect, increasingly giant is the first image is used to