350.org is an initiative that started last year to raise awareness of global climate change. On 24 October 2009 the first 350 International Day of Climate Change and 350.org organised campaigns and events to raise awareness of increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere. In South Africa, the 350-24-24 Bird Photo Challenge was organised to form part of this country's contribution to this campaign and photographers from around the country managed to photograph over 350 species of birds within 24 hours, a truly amazing achievement!

This year even more events have been planned for 10-10-10 (Sunday 10 Oct). The Animal Demography Unit has 2 events that participants can take part in. Bird atlassers will aim to cover 350 pentads and anyone can contribute weaver nest photos to PHOWN. Let's aim to count at least 350 weaver nests together on Sunday. You can submit any number of colonies but try to keep a low carbon footprint since the idea of 350.org is to reduce carbon emisions! You may submit a new colony or a repeat photo and count of a colony you have previously submitted. PHOWN is registered at 350.org here (only one marker is possible on the 350.org map but you can submit photos from anywhere!).

The total number of nests counted in PHOWN so far is 1797 nests (in 123 colony records, over the last 2-3 months).