The Earth is getting hotter every year. Global warming has caused the Earth to get warmer every year since 1800 (Blashfield). Global warming is an increase in temperature over the years (David). This phenomenon is caused by an excess of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, in the Earth's atmosphere. Carbon dioxide acts like a blanket around the atmosphere that traps all the heat originally coming from the sun. With all the extra heat held in the atmosphere, the Earth's surface eventually gets warmer. Many habitats are changing due to this and animals must adapt to these changes to survive. There are ways to prevent or slow global warming. As individuals, we could help by going green. Going green means implementing some lifestyle changes designed to help people live greener (“What does it mean to go green?”). One tip for going greener is to bike or walk instead of driving because cars are major contributors of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Another suggestion is to plant more trees because they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. What more can we do as individual residents of Earth and as a nation to help protect and preserve our planet? Introduction Global warming is an increase in temperature at the Earth's surface over the years (David). In the years between 1987 and 1988 there were more forest fires in North America than ever before. Over ten million acres were destroyed during this time, including wildlife (Blashfield, 10). Many disasters, such as extreme droughts, occurred in over thirty American states in 1988. In 1988, President George Bush called this “the year the Earth responded” (Blashfield, 11). From 1950 to 1980 the temperature......middle of the paper......ne but also depends on an electric battery. An electric car depends on an electric motor. The downside is that cars take a while to charge. It may take up to 2-8 hours to charge. Conclusion If global warming continues, we would not be able to survive on this planet (Blashfield). The temperature would be too high for the human body to handle, our food supply would suffer, and we would die. Changes in the Earth's temperature have occurred over the years. If it were to get warmer, the ice at the poles could melt, leading to further natural disasters and food shortages. But we can stop it before it's too late. We can install solar panels in our homes. We can also travel in eco-friendly cars. We can start using renewable energy like wind. In my opinion we should all take part in stopping global warming because this is our home planet.