Ecological concern and sustainability in the selected works of al gore

Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu – ĐHTN http://www.lrc.tnu.edu.vn i ECOLOGICAL CONCERN AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THE SELECTED WORKS OF AL GORE A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the

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ECOLOGICAL CONCERN AND SUSTAINABILITY

IN THE SELECTED WORKS OF AL GORE

A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School Batangas State University Batangas City, Philippines

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major in English

by

PHÙNG THI THU HA

2015

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APPROVAL SHEET

This dissertation entitled “ECOLOGICAL CONCERN AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THE SELECTED WORKS OF AL GORE” prepared and submitted by PHÙNG TH Ị THU HÀ in partial fulfilment of the requirements for

the degree of Doctor of Philosophy major in English has been examined and is

recommended for Oral Examination

MARIA LUISA A VALDEZ, Ph.D

Adviser PANEL OF EXAMINERS

Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with a grade of _

College of Arts and Sciences

ABSTRACT

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IN THE SELECTED WORKS OF AL GORE

Author: Phùng Thị Thu Hà Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Major: English

Year: 2015 Adviser: Maria Luisa A Valdez, Ph.D

Summary

This study analyzed the ecological concern and sustainability as embodied in the selected literary pieces of Al Gore pointing out the events and situations which show the teachings on ecological stewardship which may be drawn from the analysis that may benefit the Vietnamese students Likewise, this paper tries to present the reflections of the author on the environment that may be gleaned from the selections; the ecological concern reflected in the works in terms of respecting Earth and life and all its diversity, safeguarding Earth‟s regenerative capacities, caring for community life, and appreciating Earth‟s beauty and bounty; sustainability manifested in the selections with regard to environmental demands, social equity demands and economic demands; the literary devices used by Gore in unveiling the theme of

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the treatment of the selected works

This study employed the qualitative method of research in analyzing ecological concern and sustainability in the representative literary works chosen Likewise, this analysis made use of the sociological and philosophical approaches as the bases for analysis In particular, he these approaches were supported by Ehrlich‟s and Raven‟s Society-Nature Coevolution Theory

Likewise, the paper involved content analysis, which is a systematic technique in analyzing message content and message handling The data analysis in this research centered on pattern seeking and the extraction of meaning from Al Gore‟s selected literary narrative or image data

The essential features in the treatment of materials were considered by the researcher in the conduct of this study The general rules cited by Stott (2014) as regards the seven standards a piece of literature should abide to in order to be considered literary guided in the selection of works under study

The representative literary works of Al Gore entitled: Earth in the

Balance and The Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It? were analyzed These books

constituted the primary and twining sources of the study The said selections

were chosen because of their correlation with the cited theme and subthemes

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environmental threat of the present time that is reflected in Al Gore‟s literary

works, Earth in the Balance and The Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary

Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It Global

warming as a threat to health, communities, economy, and national security was presented therein as a result of men‟s activities without consideration to the effects to the environment Environmental concern may be gleaned from Gore‟s literary texts as manifested in his advocacy to protect the earth's vitality, diversity, and beauty To give deeper meanings on the concept of environmentalism and a logical framework to his works through language as well as to motivate the readers‟ imagination to visualize the characters, scenes and situations more clearly, Gore employed various literary devices in the selected literary pieces Environmental sustainability is also manifested by Gore‟s selected works as manifested in his advocacy to reconcile environmental, social equity and economic demands of the society The representative literary works of Gore may be considered as a socio-philosophical document showing the environmental issues of the times Finally, the Vietnamese students can glean teachings on ecological concern and

sustainability from the representative literary works of Gore and imbibe his spirit and carry forward his legacy by practicing daily the pro-environment

Số hóa bởi Trung tâm Học liệu – ĐHTN http://www.lrc.tnu.edu.vn vi and thoughts intertwined through the identified literary advocate of the environment

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Dr Dang Kim Vui, the President of the Thai Nguyen University, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Tuan Anh, Assoc Prof Dr Dang Xuan Binh, Prof Dr Nguyen The Hung, the former Directors of the TNU International Training and Development Center, Dr Hoang Thi Bich Thao, the current Director of TNU ITDC, and Dr Phan Quang The, the Dean of the Faculty of International Training, Thai Nguyen University of Technology, for their motivation and wisdom that helped hasten the completion of this study

Dr Maria Luisa A Valdez, the Dean of Colleges and Head of the Graduate School of the Batangas State University ARASOF Nasugbu Campus, the researcher‟s dissertation adviser, for her constant encouragement, commitment, and patience which motivated the researcher to finish this study

Dr Matilda H Dimaano, the Chairman of the Panel of Examiners, for her

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relevant dimensions in this research

Dr Amada G Banaag, Dr Felix M Panopio, and Dr Myrna G Sulit, the Members of the Panel of Examiners, for their valuable suggestions and constructive criticism which motivated her to analyze conscientiously all the inputs during the conduct of this study

Dr Remedios P Magnaye, the Recording Secretary and Ms Le Quynh Anh, the ITDC Administrative Staff, for their words of encouragement and kind gestures

The authors whose works were included in this study, for their wisdom in every page of this dissertation

The researcher‟s friends, all of whom generously gave their time, advice, and prayers They made her realize the value of truth and friendship

The researcher is also very grateful for the wholehearted support and love that her parents, her husband, Le Hong Thai and children, Le Dinh Long and Le Ha Vy, have extended during the writing process

Phùng Thị Thu Hà

DEDICATION

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To my ever dearest husband, Le Hong Thai and loving children, Le Dinh Long and Le Ha Vy,

Phùng Thị Thu Hà

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

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APPROVAL SHEET ……… ii

ABSTRACT ……… iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ……… vii

DEDICATION ……… ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……… x

LIST OF FIGURES ……… xii

CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM Introduction ……….… 1

Statement of the Problem ……….… 10

Scope, Delimitation and Limitation of the Study … 12

Significance of the Study ……… 15

II REVIEW OF LITERATURE Conceptual Literature ……… 18

Research Literature ……….………… 59

Synthesis ……… 70

Theoretical Framework ……… 74

Conceptual Framework ……… ……… 79

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III RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURE

Research Methodology ……… 88

Treatment of Materials ……… 89

IV ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION ……… 95

V SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary of Findings……… 312

Conclusions……… 324

Recommendations……… 325

BIBLIOGRAPHY ……… 328

APPENDICES 339

Summaries of the Selections ……… 340

CURRICULUM VITAE ……… 343

LIST OF FIGURES Figure Title Page 1 Conceptual Paradigm of the Study 82

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CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM Introduction

The world today faces considerable unparalleled environmental crises Declining of the Earth‟s environment gradually threatens the natural resource base and processes whereupon all life on earth depends Without resilient and multifaceted action by all humanity, the environment may not be able to sustain human life Future generations may suffer scarcity and adversity unless current patterns of production, consumption and waste management intensely change Moreover, the determination of balancing progress with the Earth‟s support systems is being understood and acknowledged Thus, it is but timely for humanity to act upon this responsibility

Cognizant of the fact that most environmental problems are transboundary, regional or global in scope, it is but fitting for all countries and their stakeholders to work together extensively and gradually to solve these problems

Aside from natural events, human activities are now recognized as a contributory factor to climate change During the recent years, scientists and

rainfall and other weather variables

Currently, global warming has turned out as an undisputed fact with regards to livelihood The planet is warming up and people are definitely part

of the problem However, this is not the only environmental problem that people should be concerned about Worldwide, people face a huge number of new and challenging environmental problems daily Some of them are insignificant and only affect a handful of ecosystems, but others are seriously changing the landscape of what people already know

Planet Earth is poised at the verge of a serious environmental crisis Present environmental problems make people susceptible to disasters and tragedies They are in a state of planetary emergency, with environmental problems stacking up high around them Unless they address the various issues prudently and seriously they are surely doomed for disaster There are fifteen major current environmental problems, which include: pollution, overpopulation, natural resource depletion, waste disposal, climate change, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, ocean acidification, ozone layer depletion, acid rain water pollution, urban sprawl, public health issues, and genetic

require urgent attention

Sadly, the act of hauling people out of poverty and into the

technologically advanced world often comes at the expense of the local environment This is true to many countries but is explicitly serious in Southeast Asian nations, as their economies especially the tourism sector depend so fundamentally on untouched natural resources Most of the environmental issues in Southeast Asia are like air pollution, endangered species conservation, deforestation, destruction of coral reefs, water security, and increased urbanization beset this region These are inseparably linked, and working to upgrade one will often have added benefits or positive impact

to the others

Global climate change, which is commonly known as global warming and associated sea level rise, is one of the most serious challenges facing the human beings in the 21st century Natural disasters and extreme climatic phenomena are increasing in number, affecting the lives of humans all across the world

Sharing the same situations is the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vietnam is likely to be one of the several countries most adversely affected by

temperature has increased by approximately 0.5 - 0.7oC, while the sea level along its coastline has risen by approximately 20 cm The El-Nino and La-Nina

phenomena have caused increasingly adverse impacts to Vietnam Climate change has resulted in more severe and/or frequent occurrences of natural disasters, specifically, cyclonic storms, floods and droughts becoming more extreme in Vietnam As a peninsula country located in the tropical monsoon belt of Southeast Asia, it is one of the nations with a high potential of being most negatively impacted by climate change The country is already experiencing changes in fundamental climatic elements as well as extreme weather phenomena such as storms, heavy rains, and droughts (Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, 2009) Likewise,

it also faces many environmental problems related to land degradation, forest degradation, loss of biodiversity, water pollution, air pollution, and solid waste management, according to the State of Environment of Vietnam‟s Website (2014)

A significant increase in the average world temperature, according to Kurukulasuriya and Robinson (2006), will lead to serious impact on the environment Climate change experts and researchers predict that this global

increased desertification in others as well as the loss of ice cover in the Polar Regions It was also predicted that the average sea level will rise by up to

eighty-eight centimeters by the end of the twenty first century, posing a serious threat to small island states and low-lying delta systems They likewise, averred that global warming will also have impact on floras and faunas Seasonal patterns will change leading to longer and hotter summers Some species will not be able to adapt well to this change of environment and may slowly become extinct The most serious consequence is likely to be the impact on agriculture and thus food safety, especially due to increased water shortages

Moreover, while there have been some discussions over the degree to which human-induced emissions have contributed to climate change, there is now general consensus that concerted action needs to be taken to minimize and mitigate the problems which global warming is starting to cause

With reference to this, the objective of the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) aims to discuss the negative impact of climate change The Convention‟s stated objective it “to stabilized greenhouse gas concentration at a level that allows ecosystems to

while enabling the economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.”

To attain this end, the parties to the Convention are guided by principles that reflect the awareness of global environmental responsibility, which were discussed in detail in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and Agenda 21 These principles include inter-generational equity, the precautionary approach, the right to sustainable development, and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (Kurukulasuriya, and Robinson, 2006)

Although environmental dreadful conditions and struggle for scarce resources are potential sources for conflict, history has recurrently shown that they are more often facilitators for cooperation Problems of shared resources regularly produced shared solutions Humanity, in general, can share their full and rightful support to peace and world stability

This inconvenient truth has put the Planet Earth in its unbalanced state and it has been reflected in many books, journals, magazines, newspapers, documentaries and other kinds of literature

societies, readers are convinced that literature is not just a social construct which is rooted in mere ideas, imaginations or imaginary situations Rather, it

is a social institution and a form of tradition, which has existed for a long time

and is accepted as an essential component of a given society to perform certain functions Readers can view literature as a social reality, which portrays the state of things as they are, rather than as they are imagined to be Premised on sociological approach to literary criticism, literature can be utilized

in working out national reconstruction being a tool that can motivate people to co-operate with one another through information sharing and dissemination (Ogundokun, 2014)

Arts, which literature is an essential part of, and the society which produces it have tenacious association, which cannot be automatically disconnected The elements of fiction are found in non-fiction Hence, no literary work can be considered complete just because of its mere aesthetic value and entertainment purposes Literature generally is not closed, independent or self-subsistent, he added Indeed, there is a distinct relationship between literature and the milieu or environment where and when

it was written with the aim of carrying out some germane functions like

changes In a nutshell, it is a panacea for human peaceful co-existence and sustainable developments

As stated earlier, the Planet Earth is currently experiencing a climate

crisis and this harsh and hostile reality has drawn the profound attention of many writers who concern themselves with ecological issues One of those writers is Albert Arnold Al Gore or Al Gore, the former Vice President of the United States from 1993-2001 He is also one of the 2000 Democratic Party presidential nominees and the co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change He has also been involved with the environmental activist movement for a number of decades

In 1992, the Earth in the Balance, Gore‟s first book was published This became the first book written by a Senator to make it to the The New York

Times bestseller list since J ohn F Kennedy‟s Profiles in Courage The said

book was written during a turning point in his life when he decided not to push through running into the White House and spend time for his son who was then recovering from a near-fatal car accident and sharing his profound thoughts and concerns about environmental issues with his readers in this

degradation on the earth

In 2006, Gore finished another bestseller book An Inconvenient Truth:

The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It

This book was made into film and won the Nobel Peace Prize and the Oscar

for the best documentary He also received standing ovations fo the said book

at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah in 2007 After this momentous year, Al Gore carried out a lot of conferences, workshops, campaigns and meetings on climate change and global warming inside the US and in many other countries

In 2009, he received the Grammy Award, - another distinct award given to his

An Inconvenient Truth as the Best Spoken Word Album Currently, Al Gore as

an author and an environmentalist still holds the Chairmanship of the Current

TV and the Generation Investment Management, and a senior advisor to Google, Inc

Al Gore is one of the world‟s first advocates of environmental stewardship Through his writings readers may glean that literature can be a writer‟s channel for conveying the philosophical dimension of environmentalism By providing readers with precise data illustrated by vivid images, the works by Al Gore are highly informative and persuasive The

styles This combination is clear and natural enough for the readers to acquire the content and the objectives at which the author aims

Bearing these thoughts in mind the researcher, who is an English teacher of the Thai Nguyen University of Technology, was deeply motivated to

explore and undertake an analysis of how ecological concern and sustainability is reflected in Al Gore‟s selected works and gain teachings on ecological stewardship that would benefit the Vietnamese students

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?

2.1 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

5 What literary approaches are prevalent in the treatment of the

selected works with reference to:

5.1 sociological; and

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

Scope, Delimitation and Limitation of the Study

This study analyzed ecological concerns and sustainability reflected inthe selected literary works of Al Gore pointing out the teachings on ecological stewardship that would benefit the Vietnamese students Likewise, this paper tries to present the reflections of the author on the environment that may be gleaned from the selections; the ecological concern reflected in the works in terms of respecting Earth and life and all its diversity, safeguarding Earth‟s regenerative capacities, caring for community life, and appreciating Earth‟s beauty and bounty; sustainability manifested in the selections with regard to environmental demands, social equity demands and economic demands; the literary devices used by Gore in unveiling the theme of ecological concern and sustainability; and the literary approaches prevalent in the treatment of the selected works

ecological concern and sustainability in the representative literary works chosen Likewise, this analysis made use of the sociological and philosophical approaches as the bases for analysis

This paper also applied content analysis, which refers to a systematic technique in analyzing message content and message handling The data

analysis in this research underscored pattern seeking and the extraction of meaning from Gore‟s selected literary narrative or image data Substantial effort centered on the task of recording texts or making notes through concepts and categories; linking and combining abstract concepts; extracting the essence; organizing meaning; writing an understanding; and drawing conclusions

The significant features in the treatment of materials were considered by the researcher in the conduct of this study The general norms cited by Stott (2014) by which all literary pieces can be measured for evaluation and analysis served as the researcher‟s guide in the selection of works that were included in this study

The representative literary works of Al Gore entitled: Earth in the

Balance and The Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global

were chosen because of the correlation between the aforementioned themes specifically the ecological concern reflected in the works in terms of respecting Earth and life and all its diversity, safeguarding Earth‟s regenerative capacities, caring for community life, and appreciating Earth‟s beauty and bounty; sustainability manifested in the selections with regard to environmental

demands, social equity demands and economic demands; the literary devices used by Gore in unveiling the theme of ecological concern and sustainability; and the literary approaches prevalent in the treatment of the selected works and its implication on the study of ecological stewardship among Vietnamese students that may be drawn from the analysis These books constituted the primary and twining sources of the study Likewise, works have been taken up

in critical analysis far less frequently than Gore‟s most popular books entitled

The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change, An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming, Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis, Our Choice: How We Can Solve the Climate Crisis, and Earth in the Balance: Forging a New Common Purpose

Other literary pieces of Al Gore which have undertones of environmental concern and sustainability were not included in the study Moreover, other

Formalist Criticism, Biographical Criticism, Historical Criticism, and Psychological Criticism are not part of this analysis Likewise, the other literary devices that were found in the study were not included

Significance of the Study

The applicability of literary analysis as an indispensable part of a research study is highlighted in terms of its importance to a number of individuals Therefore, it is vital to explicate how this study is beneficial to academic managers, working professionals, college instructors of literature, students of literature, members of the community, and other researchers

Academic Managers This study will help them to ensure that

environmental concern and sustainability initiatives are integrated in the academe by inspiring them to spawn pro-environment-related activities in the curricula that will educate the academic community of the beneficial outcomes

of a sustainable planet earth to all people regardless of gender, race, nationality and religious backgrounds

sense that the study may inspire them to organize initiatives to nurture and challenge people of all ages working in various sectors of society to embrace and support the concept of environmental concern and sustainability, and address environment issues which are essential for achieving sustainable development within their workplaces

College Instructors of Literature This analysis will be helpful in the

instructor‟s methodology in teaching literature as a discourse specifically when dealing with the appropriate literary theories and approaches in literary analysis This may lead to treating literary criticism as a worthwhile exercise that includes, among others, the identification of a meaningful theme and the investigation of approaches to reveal such themes

Students of Literature This study will give them an extensive and

profound outlook in life as regards environmental concern and sustainability through the life of the writer and the characters in the selected literary pieces and will motivate them to treat literature as a work of art and intensify their appreciation of the different literary devices and approaches as well as prose

undertaking

Researchers Researchers will be benefitted by this study through the

treatment of materials and analysis, and through the careful investigation of both theme and form in literary genres Likewise, this paper will enlighten them

on the process of drawing out literary theories and utilizing critical approaches

in literary analysis

Future Researchers This paper may motivate them to conduct more

studies on ways that are most effective in integrating the environmental concern and sustainability into the people‟s psyche to substantiate the present investigation

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the conceptual and research literature that have direct and indirect bearing on the study at hand, their synthesis and theories

that evolved in the study

Conceptual Literature

The review of conceptual literature presents in topical form the concepts and constructs used in this study: global warming; environmental concern and ecological stewardship; environmental education and sustainability, issues and concerns; Al Gore, his significant works and environmentalism; and sociological and philosophical approaches in literary criticism

Global Warming Environmental problems affect all things on earth

From the simplest but the most common problem like water pollution to the biggest issue of global warming, environmental issues affect every person, animal, community, and nation in the planet As cited by Miller (1998), among those problems the world is facing today includes population growth, wasteful use of resources, destruction and degradation of wildlife habitats, extinction of plants and animals, poverty, and pollution which are interconnected to each other Each year more forests, grasslands, and wetlands disappear, and some

deserts grow larger Vital topsoil is washed or blown away from farmlands, cleared forests, and construction sites, clogging streams, lakes and reservoir with sediment Many types of grassland have been overgrazed and fisheries over harvested Oceans, streams, and the atmosphere are used as trashcans for a variety of wastes which many are toxic Two to eight wildlife species every hour are estimated to extinction; mostly because of loss of habitats These are clear evidences of the devastating effects of humans to the environment which all the people around the world need to understand

As expressed by Bradford (2014), global warming is expected to have far-reaching, long-lasting, and in many cases, devastating consequences to planet Earth For some years, global warming, the gradual heating of Earth's surface, oceans and atmosphere, was a topic of heated debate in the scientific community Today, the overwhelming consensus of researchers is that global warming is real and is caused by human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels that pump carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere

In the report released by the Intergovernmental Planet on Climate Change or IPCC (2013), scientists are more certain than ever of the link between human activities and global warming More than 197 international

scientific organizations agree that global warming is real and has been caused

by human action Additionally, global warming is having a measurable effect

on the planet right now, in a variety of ways Ice is melting both polar ice caps and mountain glaciers Lakes around the world are warming rapidly - in some cases faster than the surrounding environment Animals are changing migration patterns and plants are changing the dates of activity

In effect, extreme weather events occur in different parts of the world Accordingly, extreme weather is an effect of global warming While experiencing some of the hottest summers on record, much of the United States also has been experiencing colder than normal winters Changes in climate can cause the jet stream to migrate south, bringing with it cold, Arctic air

Accordingly, climate, as the long-term average of weather, over many years speaks of one cold or warm year or season which has little to do with the overall climate This happens when the cold or warm years more and more regular that people start to recognize it as a change in climate rather than simply an anomalous year of weather On the other hand, global warming may also lead to extreme weather other than cold or heat extremes An example of this is the formation of hurricane will change As further explained by Sobel

(2014), hurricanes could still become more frequent in some particular areas even though they become less frequent in the whole world Additionally, scientists are confident that hurricanes will become more intense due to climate change This is because hurricanes get their energy from the temperature difference between the warm tropical ocean and the cold upper atmosphere Global warming increases that temperature difference Sobel further explained that since the most damage by far comes from the most intense hurricanes, this means that hurricanes could become overall more destructive

Scientists project that extreme weather events, such as heat waves, droughts, blizzards and rainstorms will continue to occur more often and with greater intensity due to global warming, according to Climate Central (2014) Climate models forecast that global warming will cause climate patterns worldwide to experience significant changes These changes will likely include major shifts in wind patterns, annual precipitation and seasonal temperatures variations In addition, changes are expected to last for several periods or longer as high levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are to remain high for many years (Environmental Protection Agency or EPA, 2014)

The effects of global warming on the Earth's ecosystems are expected

to be profound and widespread Many species of plants and animals are already moving their range northward or to higher altitudes as a result of warming temperatures, according to a report from the National Academy of Sciences (2015) As reported, these animals are not anymore moving north but rather are moving from the equator toward the poles They are quite simply following the range of comfortable temperatures, which is migrating to the poles as the global average temperature warms

Eventually, the effects of global warming become a problem when the rate of climate change velocity is faster than the rate that many organisms can migrate As it is, most of these animals may have a hard time coping in the new climate and may cause extinction among these varieties As a result, some migratory birds and insects start to arrive in their summer feeding and nesting grounds days before their scheduled time This can be compared to what had happened in the 20th century

Warmer temperatures will also expand the range of many causing pathogens that were once confined to tropical and subtropical areas, killing off plant and animal species that formerly were protected from disease These and other effects of global warming, if left unchecked, will likely contribute to the disappearance of up to one-half of Earth's plants and one-

disease-third of animals from their current range by 2080, according to a 2013 report in the journal Nature Climate Change

On the other hand, as dramatic as the effects of climate change are expected to be on the natural world, the projected changes to human society may be even more devastating Agricultural systems will likely be dealt a crippling blow Though growing seasons in some areas will expand, the combined impacts of drought, severe weather, lack of snowmelt, greater number and diversity of pests, lower groundwater tables and a loss of arable land could cause severe crop failures and livestock shortages worldwide As

a result, carbon dioxide may affect the plant growth However, even though this can increase the growth of plants, the plants may become less nutritious

In addition to less nutritious food, the effect of global warming on human health is also expected to be serious The American Medical Association has reported an increase in mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever, as well as a rise in cases of chronic conditions like asthma, is already occurring, most likely as a direct result of global warming This loss of food security may, in turn, create havoc in international food markets and could spark famines, food riots, political instability and civil unrest worldwide

Many of these expected effects are the result of exhaustive scientific

research and climate models, and the fact that most of them are already being observed gives additional credibility to the projected effects of global warming and climate change

As observed, there had been a continuous and steady decrease in the snow cover in some of the parts of the United States, and the average temperature of permafrost or the soil that is at or below freezing temperature has grown warmer One of the most dramatic effects of global warming is the reduction in Arctic sea ice: In 2012, scientists saw the smallest amount of Arctic ice cover ever recorded Most analyses project that, within a matter of years, the Arctic Sea will be completely ice-free during the summer months

Glacial retreat, too, is an obvious effect of global warming Only 25 glaciers bigger than 25 acres are now found in Montana's Glacier National Park, where about 150 glaciers were once found, according to the U.S Geological Survey A similar trend is seen in glacial areas worldwide As ice melts, the ocean levels rise In 2014, the World Meteorological Organization reported that sea level rise accelerated 12 inches or 3 millimetres per year on average worldwide This is around double the average annual rise of 07 inch

or 1.6 mm in the 20th century

Melting polar ice in the Arctic and Antarctic region, coupled with melting

ice sheets and glaciers across Greenland, North America, South America, Europe and Asia, are expected to raise sea levels significantly And humans are mostly to blame Climate scientists said they are at least 95 per cent certain that humans are to blame for warming oceans, rapidly melting ice and rising sea levels, changes that have been observed since the 1950s

In addition to this, the rate of increase is expected to accelerate in the coming years if the problem with global warming is not arrested An increase

in the global sea levels have risen to about eight inches since 1870 and if this situation continues, many coastal areas, where roughly half of the Earth's human population lives, will be swamped with water

In connection to this, it was further projected that by 2100, the average sea levels will be 2.3 feet or 7 meters higher in New York City, 2.9 feet or 88

m higher at Hampton Roads, Va., and 3.5 feet or 1.06 m higher at Galveston, Texas According to an IPCC (2013) report, if greenhouse gas emissions remain unchecked, sea levels could rise by as much as 3 feet or 0.9 meters by

2100 That estimate is an increase from the estimated 0.9 to 2.7 feet or 0.3 to 0.8 meters that was predicted in the 2007 IPCC report for future sea level rise

Environmental Concern and Ecological Stewardship As regards, ecological concern, ecological concern is the affective and effective

environmental attitude toward ecology and to its inhabitants in water, on land and in air Caring for nature and plant is conceptually defined as profound love

to nature and being scornful or morally outraged at others who exploit and damage natural environment (Nightingale, 2006)

On the other hand, caring for human and animal life is defined not just ensuring human beings and animals from threatening and showing cruelty but also giving them welfare and assurance (Brown, 2001) Moreover, ecological concern is the concern in all different aspects of the earth such as land, air and water which are the sources of people‟s daily needs in their everyday living Caring for nature is considered as the considerate concern with the lives within the ecosystem and to all non-living things which also made up the ecology while caring for animal life is the gentle consideration in the life of an animal either land, water or air animals which is predicted to be extinct and endangered because of the ecological problem faced nowadays

As to the caring for plant life it is the consideration for the living component of the ecosystem aside from the human life, the plants in forests, tundra and even green land and caring for human life is a true concern with the highest form of life in an ecology which is greatly affected by the harmful effect

of Global Warming

According to Dunlap and Jones (2002), environmental concern is the degree to which people are aware of problems regarding the environment and support efforts to solve them and or indicate the willingness to contribute personally to their solution On the other hand, Chichilnisky, Heal and Starrett‟s (2000) cited that caring for community life means knowing the history

of the place as well as the present life-sustaining resources of the place and it

is taking account of the future of that place, joining with others to discuss the possibility and dreams that might share It also means situating the self in a place and understanding oneself in relationship to the natural and social ecology of that place

The explanation cited by the aforementioned authors were substantiated

by what Rauner (2000) said on caring for the environment According to him, ecological concern is the creation of social connectedness and the orientation towards engagement with others It also means gauging the quality of care with reference to the model of attentiveness, responsiveness, and competence Ecological concern is used as a way to explore or to find the ways on how the environment can adapt the global warming that happened and to imply the cause and effect that may happen if people did not follow the

right way of taking care of the environment It is used by the author to describe the impact of environment to destruction and the resources become fewer This is likewise used by Al Gore to engage in the different activities on how global warming will be prevented

Caring for community life is used as a way on how the people should take the responsibility in caring the environment to avoid the environment crisis that happened especially the global warming Environmental concern means that every individual thinks first about the sake of the environment It means that people think some ways on how they can develop and improve the environment where they are in It also means that the people are finding the solution to the environmental crisis that they are suffering The terms caring for community life reflects on what kind of individuals are living there

Moreover, caring for community life means that as individuals who live in this world should respect, value and take care of the things which can help to survive to the challenges like the human, nature, animals and plants People should treat them like the way they treat themselves They should take care of their community to avoid some crisis that probably happens to them It is also means that everyone should be ready and they must know the proper way of caring oneself and especially the environment in order to develop good living