The tragedy and scale of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico could easily make you give up hope. What can the average person do to help?

Matter of Trust has figured out a way for people to contribute, and are organizing a safe, non-toxic way of helping with the clean up efforts by accepting donations of hair. How does it work? Contributed hair is stuffed into nylon stockings to make booms which protect the coast.

Lisa Gautier, co-founder of Matter of Trust explained on NPR:

Booms will lie along the beach, the waves will come up, and they’ll go through the hair and the nylon. And the hair will grab the oil and then the wave goes back out and it’s cleaner.

In response, Arthur magazine is helping to organize local hair cutting parties. More details to be found here.

Matter of Trust

[Via: Arthur]