CNBC – 17 Ways To Clean Up The Gulf Oil Spill

Early on in the BP crisis, human hair was discussed as a possible material for sopping up the oil. Matter of Trust, a nonprofit environmental organization, has partnered with thousands of salons all over the world to use their clippings, which would normally get swept up off the floor and thrown in the trash.

Instead, Matter of Trust collects it, stuffs it into mesh or nylon casings and creates improvised containment booms to control oil spills.