Global warming. Global warming means that the planet is heating up at a quicker speed than usual. Gasses that are released during the burning of fossil fuels trap heat before it can escape into space. All scientists say that burning the fossil fuels such as oil and coal creates heat trapping “greenhouse gasses” by surrounding the earth’s atmosphere these gasses have the very same effect as a greenhouse this means that they let in the heat and trap it before they can escape. Humans also provide gasses such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane that all add up to greenhouse gasses. Scientists record the temperature every year and they estimate that it will continue each year. A hotter world has a huge effect on everyone and everything including the land, the sea and all of the Earths inhabitants as it causes the glaciers to melt and then creates dramatic weather conditions. A hurricane called hurricane Katrina is one of the sixth strongest hurricanes ever in the city of New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina. It was a storm with wind speeds up to 255 kilometres per hour and it hit the city while destroying everything in its way. Some people in the city had some warning so they evacuated whilst others went to a safe holding place in the city called the Superdome, although this was one of the largest structures in the city the hurricane passed through it with such force that it tore two holes in the roof. Eventually people were told to leave New Orleans. A disaster like this led to many p0eople being unemployed. Research shows that warmer ocean contributes to the tropical storms like hurricane Katrina. Experts warn that it is too early to predict if global warming causes hurricanes to happen more often although most people agree that if the Earth continues to heat up that all the storms will be getting much worse. There is many ways to try and slow the effects of global warming. Saving energy is available to everyone but you just need the right technology to use it properly, people can get electricity by using solar power and wind power. Also saving water can reduce the energy and the greenhouse effect. Transport has a big effect on global warming as there is so many cars, trucks, airplanes, vans, motorbikes and trains in the world. There are lots of things we can do such as walking, running, cycle and also busses or trains or carpooling as this saves the energy and the environment. Global warming is so important and will continue unless people can help to try and stop it. By Aoife McCarthy.