Al Gore (b 1948) became the vice president of the United States in 1992, when William Clinton was elected the 42nd president. That same year, he published the book Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit, from which this selection was taken. Before beginning a career in politics, Gore worked as a journalist for seven years. He then spent many years representing Tennessee in Congress. In 1976, he won a seat in the House of Representatives, and in 1984 he was elected to the Senate. Gore was a leader of environmental awareness in Congress, and he has spent many years studying the global environment. As vice president, Gore worked with the president to preserve natural resources, protect people from toxic wastes, and fight threats such as global warming. In 2000, he campaigned in the presidential election. Although Gore won the popular vote, he lost the election to George W. Bush, the Republican candidate.