I read about this on Facebook ...

Want to pitch in and do your part to clean up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill? Get a haircut - and then donate your locks to Matter of Trust, a nonprofit group that uses hair to make mats and booms that can combat oil spills.

The mats soak up oil from the air, skin or water, according to the organization.

"You touch the oil with the hair and the hair just sucks it right up," Matter of Trust President Lisa Gautier told the Florida Times Union  "It looks sort of like a thick paper towel, about 1 foot by 1 foot, half an inch thick."

Matter of Trust has been collecting human hair and pet fur to help combat oil spills for about two years now. Thousands of salons across the country donate hair clippings that are swept up off their floors, according to the Matter of Trust Web site.

What a great way to make a difference.  My friend in NYC told me her son's hair salon has been participating for a long time. 

Watching the news coverage of this issue has been heartbreaking. I lived in Louisiana for three years so it feels extra personal.  I know hair is a small thing and can blind us to the systemic changes that are necessary to address the real issues. 

But it does really help to feel like you make a difference, as long as you keep perspective on the need to do more.

Pass the link along to your hair stylist or your dog groomer.

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