Spotlight on Matter of Trust

I heard about this great environmental organization called Matter Of Trust via Alicia Silverstone's blog post on The Kind Life, and I wanted to share their fantastic solution to the oil spill situation in the Gulf Coast. As they explain in the video below, they use hair clippings mailed to them from individuals, hair salons and pet groomers and stuff them into old nylon stockings to create what they call 'hair booms.' These hair booms float in water and, as if by magic, soak up oil completely! They are currently mobilizing volunteers and have storage locations set up to receive hair & nylons.

Here's what they're saying about it on their website:

A huge International Natural Fiber Recycling mobilization is currently taking place to help get hair boom to the Gulf Coast Spill. We have 19 donated warehouses spread along Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida that are receiving hair from donors all over the US, Canada and beyond! There are thousands of volunteers signing up to have Stocking Stuffers and Bar B Q parties where they're making the boom. They're calling them Boom B Qs.

If you or your pet is getting a hair cut soon, definitely ask to keep the clippings so you can mail to Matter of Trust or have a Boom-B-Que with your friends! Also, why not ask your salon to send ALL their clippings, or volunteer to do it for them? In order to send in hair or nylons, or your completed boom, you need to:

1. Sign up with Excess Access via the Matter of Trust website... accessible HERE.
2. Click the Activation link that they email to you.
3. You will then receive an email with a location of where to send stuff. This is important and unique, as they are coordinating space in donated warehouses along the Gulf Coast to make sure distribution is efficient. (This may take a while, as they are sending emails out in waves once daily at 12pm PST.)
4. Once you have been emailed an address, get started with these instructions from MoT:
5. Set aside a designated box and line it with a plastic bag so hair (and fur, fleece & feathers) can't slip out.
6. Put all waste hair & natural fibers in the bag!
7. After you've filled it with hair, tie the top of the bag and tape the box shut.
8. Mark the boxes DEBRIS FREE HAIR (FUR, FLEECE, FEATHERS) or NYLONS.
9. Mail boxes in to the address(es) we provide you by email AFTER you sign up.

Hair specifications:

- ideally shampooed, but it doesn't have to be
- any length is fine
- every type of hair is fine but only HEAD hair, please!

-dread locks are OK to send, although we find they have fungus inside when cut open, so please separate in their own bag and mark "DREADS". They are handled separately.

- we also accept fur and other natural fibers like waste wool, alpaca fleece, horse hair, feathers

-please make sure hair and fibers are mainly free of garbage and other contaminants

- we also accept washed, used (even with runs) nylon stocking donations in a separate bag, please.

You can read more about the Gulf Coast project and Matter of Trust's other programs HERE. Here's a video about how to make your own boom... so easy!