May 23, 2012
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - When the hair hits the floor at Jack the Clippers salon, it's usually swept up and thrown away.
But Shannon Menendez-Hipsher is saving it.
"Who would have thought something we usually throw away and think what a mess it makes on the floor could save our ecosystem."
Shannon saves hair clippings from each hair cut to ship them to the Gulf of Mexico to help clean up the oil spill.
"What they're doing it's called, Matteroftrust.org. They're putting all of the hair into these things called booms."
This is a boom. The eco-friendly group has set up warehouses along the Gulf coast where the hair is stuffed into the nylon stockings.
"The hair naturally sucks up the oil, which it's natural, no chemicals involved, the hair is debris free," says Menendez-Hipsher.
Hair can be curly, straight, dyed or permed and since every little bit helps, it can be short, like Sonya's.
"Whatever thing small I can do, whatever small thing is helping, then I'm glad to do it," says Sonya Smith.
Even though Shannon's salon sits hundreds of miles away from the spill, she hopes what once was trash, can now be used for good.
"If I can help in anyway, even though my little part is a very small part, all of us working together is going to really make a huge difference."
If you'd like to donate hair, you can find information below.
And if your salon is saving hair to send to the gulf, leave us your comments to let us know!
