Recycling Hair to Protect the Gulf Coast!
By sweeping up hair clippings and mailing them to Matter of Trust, Shear Art Salon and Spa is helping contain the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Matter of Trust (matteroftrust.org) is stuffing loose hair into nylon stockings to create "booms" that surround, contain and soak up oil spills. The "hairmat" was developed by Phil McCrory, a hair stylist from Alabama. He observed that the fur on Alaskan otters were completely soaked with oil while watching CNN coverage on the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. He began testing how much oil he could collect with the hair clippings from his salon and then invented the hairmat, which has other uses, including fertilizer.
The recent BP spill threatening Florida's coastlines spurred Shear Art's Owner Joanne Powers into action. "We sweep about a pound of hair every day and might as well put it to good use," Powers said.
Shear Art pays to mail the hair clippings to Matter of Trust, where it is sorted, stored and stuffed into nylon stockings.
About Shear Art Salon and Spa
Open seven days a week, Shear Art has nearly 60 hair stylists, estheticians, nail technicians, massage therapists and other employees. The salon serves children, teens, men and women and offers haircuts, color, extensions, facials, massages, pedicures, manicures, and makeup services. Established in 1986, Shear Art is located at 13110 N. Dale Mabry Highway which is in the Village Center on North Dale Mabry and Fletcher and can be reached at 813-968-4836 or www.shearart.com.