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I support myself by doing basic human needs and maintaining relationships with others and doing my work, both in school and at home.

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I help my family members when they are in need, and I give them support when they're in trouble.

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I make sure I am educated on all the sides of the problems that our species faces and what I can do about that.

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I contribute to my society and the world around me by actively participating in events and discussions and volunteering to help those in need in my community.

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SAN JOSE - The number of kids and young adults living homeless in Silicon Valley skyrocketed in a biennial count, revealing a problem far more prolific than previously known.

Santa Clara County officials and advocates for the homeless said they expected an increase in the overall homeless population and specifically youth in part because there was a major push to count younger people this year. Nearly double the number of workers fanned out in the field for the January count. However, the results released Friday far exceeded what officials expected: a 185 percent increase over 2015 in the number of people under age 25 who are homeless, nearly double the previous high set in 2011. People under 25 now make up more than one-third of the overall homeless population.

Overall, 7,394 homeless were counted, 838 more than two years ago. Of those 2,530 are either minors unaccompanied by a parent or young adults under 25 years old.

"I had heard rumblings from youth centers that they were seeing more than in previous years, but I was really surprised at how much it increased," said Hilary Barroga, who manages county systems aimed at ending homelessness. "It made me really angry that there are this many young people on the street. And it also made me very motivated."

The count is always an imperfect science, but Barroga said she believes it to be "as accurate a count as we can get." Officials worked closely with school districts to factor in known homeless students, and increased the number of counters on youth-specific street teams from 18 to 34.

Sparky Harlan, director of the Bill Wilson Center, which sends squads out to count youth, said that while she expected an increase, she was "taken aback" by the results, adding that she doesn't think the numbers are exaggerated.

"We're counting very similar to how other communities are counting," she said. "We may have been more thorough on the youth count than in the past, but I don't think the numbers are wildly off - our people aren't making them up."

This year's tally of young homeless will be used as a federal baseline for future counts, and many counties paid particular attention to that population. But Santa Clara County's numbers still stand out: San Francisco's youth population accounted for about a quarter of the homeless total in 2013 but are now less than 20 percent. Los Angeles' percentage is similar. Alameda County, where officials say a massive 40 percent jump in overall homelessness was due to more intensive count techniques, found 27 percent were youth.

Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, cautioned that such comparisons may not paint an accurate picture.

"The quality of the youth counts and methodologies is so all over the map, we don't really compare rates across communities," she said. "It's apples and oranges. But as a baseline, once it's established and done the same way, that's apples to apples."

Santa Clara County saw an overall 14 percent drop from 2013 to 2015, but this year's rebound to nearly 7,400 homeless people makes up for most of that dip. And the youth population more than accounts for the rise.

Shahera Hyatt, director of the California Homeless Youth Project, said there have been increases in the youth count across the state.

"In part, it's the better methodology, but there's also an organic reason that it's happening," she said. "A lot of it has to do with the lack of affordable housing and gentrification - it's really hard to afford market rate rent as an adult, much less someone who is transitioning into adulthood."

Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors President Dave Cortese said times have drastically changed since the days when a young person could venture out on their own, get a job and find a place to live.

"I don't think people of my generation understand that it's just not doable anymore," he said. "A generation ago someone could literally find a room with a roommate for $75 a month. Now you can't find that for $750 a month. They're just out of luck - that's the new reality."

Jennifer Loving of Destination: Home said there have been tremendous recent gains, with 1,700 people getting into permanent housing last year. And on the horizon will be the homes created from the $950 million Measure A, which will issue bonds starting this fall. The goal is to create 4,800 affordable units over the next decade.

The point-in-time count reflected continued improvement for groups that have been singled out in the past for assistance: Homelessness among veterans declined, as did chronic homelessness and the number of people living in encampments.

"The system for ending homelessness is stronger than ever," said Loving,"but rents continue to rise across the Bay Area, and the people becoming homeless, that's still an open spigot."

Counting youth is more difficult than adults. According to a 2013 report, "Hidden in Plain Sight, An Assessment of Youth Inclusion in Point-in-Time Counts of California's Unsheltered Homeless Population," young people tend to move between locations on any given day and avoid services, particularly those oriented toward homeless adults.

"I do see they create their own little enclaves and hide in the midst of the larger group," said Pastor Scott Wagers of CHAM Deliverance Ministry. "Maybe there's a different stigma, maybe they're runaways or don't want to be visible. But yes, there's definitely more of them."

Barroga said the number of homeless minors is particularly troubling, with 500 on the streets at any given time.

"You never want anyone to be homeless," she said, "but especially not someone who hasn't even started their life yet. It seems like such an unfair shake for those kids."

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San Jose: Huge surge in homeless Silicon Valley youth

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SAN JOSE - The number of kids and young adults living homeless in Silicon Valley skyrocketed in a biennial count, revealing a problem far more prolific than previously known. Santa Clara County officials and advocates for the homeless said they expected an increase in the overall homeless population and specifically youth in part because there was a major push to count younger people this year.

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Too busy to take care of yourself? These talks offer simple ways to stay healthy -- both emotionally and physically.

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A: Since the Industrial Revolution, the global annual temperature has increased in total by a little more than 1 degree Celsius, or about 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Between 1880-the year that accurate recordkeeping began-and 1980, it rose on average by 0.07 degrees Celsius (0.13 degrees Fahrenheit) every 10 years. Since 1981, however, the rate of increase has more than doubled: For the last 40 years, we've seen the global annual temperature rise by 0.18 degrees Celsius, or 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit, per decade.

The result? A planet that has never been hotter. Nine of the 10 warmest years since 1880 have occurred since 2005-and the 5 warmest years on record have all occurred since 2015. Climate change deniers have argued that there has been a "pause" or a "slowdown" in rising global temperatures, but numerous studies, including a 2018 paper published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, have disproved this claim. The impacts of global warming are already harming people around the world.

What causes global warming?

A: Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO ₂) and other air pollutants collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth's surface. Normally this radiation would escape into space, but these pollutants, which can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere, trap the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. These heat-trapping pollutants-specifically carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and synthetic fluorinated gases-are known as greenhouse gases, and their impact is called the greenhouse effect.

How is global warming linked to extreme weather?

A: Scientists agree that the earth's rising temperatures are fueling longer and hotter heat waves, more frequent droughts, heavier rainfall, and more powerful hurricanes.

In 2015, for example, scientists concluded that a lengthy drought in California-the state's worst water shortage in 1,200 years-had been intensified by 15 to 20 percent by global warming. They also said the odds of similar droughts happening in the future had roughly doubled over the past century. And in 2016, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine announced that we can now confidently attribute some extreme weather events, like heat waves, droughts, and heavy precipitation, directly to climate change.

The impacts of global warming are being felt everywhere. Extreme heat waves have caused tens of thousands of deaths around the world in recent years. And in an alarming sign of events to come, Antarctica has lost nearly four trillion metric tons of ice since the 1990s. The rate of loss could speed up if we keep burning fossil fuels at our current pace, some experts say, causing sea levels to rise several meters in the next 50 to 150 years and wreaking havoc on coastal communities worldwide.

What are the other effects of global warming?

A: Each year scientists learn more about the consequences of global warming, and each year we also gain new evidence of its devastating impact on people and the planet. As the heat waves, droughts, and floods associated with climate change become more frequent and more intense, communities suffer and death tolls rise. If we're unable to reduce our emissions, scientists believe that climate change could lead to the deaths of more than 250,000 people around the globe every year and force 100 million people into poverty by 2030.

Global warming is already taking a toll on the United States. And if we aren't able to get a handle on our emissions, here's just a smattering of what we can look forward to:

Disappearing glaciers, early snowmelt, and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages and continue to increase the risk of wildfires in the American West.

Rising sea levels will lead to even more coastal flooding on the Eastern Seaboard, especially in Florida, and in other areas such as the Gulf of Mexico.

Forests, farms, and cities will face troublesome new pests, heat waves, heavy downpours, and increased flooding. All of these can damage or destroy agriculture and fisheries.

Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine meadows could drive many plant and animal species to extinction.

Allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common due to increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed, higher levels of air pollution, and the spread of conditions favorable to pathogens and mosquitoes.

Though everyone is affected by climate change, not everyone is affected equally. Indigenous people, people of color, and the economically marginalized are typically hit the hardest. Inequities built into our housing, health care, and labor systems make these communities more vulnerable to the worst impacts of climate change-even though these same communities have done the least to contribute to it.

Where does the United States stand in terms of global-warming contributors?

A: In recent years, China has taken the lead in global-warming pollution, producing about 26 percent of all CO2 emissions. The United States comes in second. Despite making up just 4 percent of the world's population, our nation produces a sobering 13 percent of all global CO2 emissions-nearly as much as the European Union and India (third and fourth place) combined. And America is still number one, by far, in cumulative emissions over the past 150 years. As a top contributor to global warming, the United States has an obligation to help propel the world to a cleaner, safer, and more equitable future. Our responsibility matters to other countries, and it should matter to us, too.

Is the United States doing anything to prevent global warming?

A: We've started. But in order to avoid the worsening effects of climate change, we need to do a lot more-together with other countries-to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and transition to clean energy sources.

Despite the lack of cooperation from the Trump administration, local and state governments made great strides during this period through efforts like the American Cities Climate Challenge and ongoing collaborations like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Meanwhile, industry and business leaders have been working with the public sector, creating and adopting new clean-energy technologies and increasing energy efficiency in buildings, appliances, and industrial processes. Today the American automotive industry is finding new ways to produce cars and trucks that are more fuel efficient and is committing itself to putting more and more zero-emission electric vehicles on the road. Developers, cities, and community advocates are coming together to make sure that new affordable housing is built with efficiency in mind, reducing energy consumption and lowering electric and heating bills for residents. And renewable energy continues to surge as the costs associated with its production and distribution keep falling. In 2020 renewable energy sources such as wind and solar provided more electricity than coal for the very first time in U.S. history.

Is global warming too big a problem for me to help tackle?

A: No! While we can't win the fight without large-scale government action at the national level, we also can't do it without the help of individuals who are willing to use their voices, hold government and industry leaders to account, and make changes in their daily habits.

Wondering how you can be a part of the fight against global warming? Reduce your own carbon footprint by taking a few easy steps: Make conserving energy a part of your daily routine and your decisions as a consumer. When you shop for new appliances like refrigerators, washers, and dryers, look for products with the government's ENERGY STAR ® label; they meet a higher standard for energy efficiency than the minimum federal requirements. When you buy a car, look for one with the highest gas mileage and lowest emissions. You can also reduce your emissions by taking public transportation or carpooling when possible.

And while new federal and state standards are a step in the right direction, much more needs to be done. Voice your support of climate-friendly and climate change preparedness policies, and tell your representatives that equitably transitioning from dirty fossil fuels to clean power should be a top priority-because it's vital to building healthy, more secure communities.

You don't have to go it alone, either. Movements across the country are showing how climate action can build community, be led by those on the front lines of its impacts, and create a future that's equitable and just for all.

This story was originally published on March 11, 2016 and has been updated with new information and links.

This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as grammar); you can't resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you can't republish our material wholesale or automatically-you need to select stories individually; you can't republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should to let us know when you've used one of our stories.

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What is global warming? Global warming causes, effects, extreme weather, facts, and relation to climate change.

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About Nicaragua

One-third of all Nicaraguan children never enroll in elementary school, fail to attend, or drop out before reaching the sixth grade. The majority of these children drop out in first grade, before they learn the reading and math skills they need to succeed in life. Other risks that threaten the well-being of Nicaragua's children and youth are malnutrition, teenage pregnancy and early marriages, child trafficking and sexual exploitation, gang involvement and HIV and AIDS.

Our Work

Since 1980, Save the Children has worked to improve the lives of Nicaraguan children and families living in poverty. After the devastation of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, our Nicaragua Country Office concentrated its efforts in the heavily affected departments of Chinandega and Leon.

Save the Children focuses on improving maternal infant, and child healthcare and works in partnership with the Ministry of Health to reach thousands of children living in remote and rural communities who might not otherwise have access to health services. We monitor growth rates, vaccinate, distribute vitamins, and educate young people about proper hygiene and sanitation. We train community health care workers to treat the most common childhood diseases including diarrhea, malaria, and pneumonia.

Unless otherwise noted, facts and statistics have been sourced from Save the Children's 2017 End of Childhood Report. You can access detailed data here.
Other sources as follows: Population: CIA World Factbook 2015;

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One-third of all Nicaraguan children never enroll in elementary school, fail to attend, or drop out before reaching the sixth grade. The majority of these children drop out in first grade, before they learn the reading and math skills they need to succeed in life.