That’s a hairdo: salons & pet groomers help fight BP oil spill

As news of the BP Oil spill spread, many Americans were looking for a way to voice their opinions or lend a hand. Some called for a boycott of BP stations, increased regulation for offshore oil drilling, and others shaved their heads. No, really. An eco-minded non-profit called Matter Of Trust is collecting human hair and animal fur to protect the threatened beaches of the Gulf Coast.

Matter Of Trust’s mission is to “Link ideas, spark action and materialize sustainable systems,” as shown through their unique hair recycling program. Donated hair or animal fur is either made into a mat or booms that one Alabama resident called “a giant hair sausage,” but are actually just hair and fur stuffed pantyhose.

The booms and mats are useful in a situations like that of the Gulf Coast states to prevent oil from hitting beaches. Hair isn’t absorbent like a sponge, it is adsorbent which means it clings to the oil. The mats and booms aren’t as powerful as similar chemical based versions but they can be cleaned and reused several times.

The organization had been working with the idea since 1998 and were flooded with inquiries after the BP oil spill. Salons shipped hair clippings to them in old shampoo boxes, started 24-hour cut-a-thons, and the charity-minded transvestites from San Francisco's Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence donated their extra large hosiery.

The non-profit is also getting a lot of help from America’s four legged friends. Petco and their 1,000 grooming salons expect to ship five tons of hair to Matter Of Trust by the end of this weekend.

It may sound silly to hit the post office with a box of hair from your Lhasa Apso’s visit to the groomer, but the numbers really do add up. Matter Of Trust estimates that 300,000 pounds of human and animal hair are cut daily in the United States. As the spill advances we’re going to need all the help we can get, even if it comes from your canine.