The cold winter winds of January seem to have finally hit England in full-force, with much of the country having experienced heavy snowfall over the past week.

It is a controversial subject, with some liking and others dislking the season, though I can understand both sides of the argument. Something about snow is rather magical and seems to bring out the child in all of us, perhaps making winter slightly more bearable, and yet it can prove dangerous for those travelling and often slows commutes.

Going slightly further than our own interests, likes, and dislikes, however, it is important to consider the effect snow has on the wider world, and what it means for our kind and our future on this planet.

Whilst it seems to be commonly believed that extreme snowfall disproves or lessens the threat of global warming, this is infact incorrect infromation and I would like to clear up any misconceptions.

In reality, rising temperatures cause water to evaporate, creating more moisture in the air and thus leading to greater amounts of extreme precipitation. Heavy snowfall, therefore, is not a reassurance but rather another sign that global warming is a real and ever-increasing threat to the human race.

Although we may be experiencing very cold temperatures across the world in the present time as oppose to very warm ones, this doesn't mean that global warming isn't having an effect and shows that extreme snowfall can in fact comply with the notion of a warming world.

So how do we stop this catastrophe from destroying our world? Whilst believed to be irreversible, we can surely help to slow down the process with manageable, thoughtful acts.

Some small, achieveable goals we can work towards in order to stop global warming are to reduce water waste by taking shorter showers and turning off the taps whilst you brush your teeth, investing in more energy efficient lightbulbs such as LEDS, unplugging devices from the wall socket that aren't being used, and choosing to walk instead of using transport whenever possible.

On a grander scale, we might invest in powering our home with renewable energy by choosing a company that uses primarily wind or solar power, invest in energy-efficient everyday appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators, and only buy food we know we are actually going to consume rather than waste, whilst making a concious effort to purchase less meat to aid with reducing energy cosumption.

This doesn't mean that we will miss out on snow or sun altogether, but rather that we may be able to reach a more environmentally-friendly balance for us and the earth by lessening the chances of extreme weather.

Together we can fight for a cleaner, cooler world and learn to better preserve our planet, allowing us and future generations to enjoy it to its fullest.