As the Gulf oil spill drags into day 42, hair salons around Lansing are doing their part to help out the gulf coast. Salons like the East Lansing’s Douglas J Aveda Institute are collecting hair clippings and shipping them off to the non-profit Matter of Trust, where they are made into mats and booms used to absorb and contain the oil.
All the salon’s have to do is box up the hair and ship it off.
Douglas J representative Christina Minnis was excited about the match. “This seemed like a natural fit because they are using hair and that’s what we do every day,” Minnis said. “We already had the collection process and we wanted to be able to give back in any way that we could, so it just made sense.”
And hair salons aren’t the only Lansing businesses
giving back. Our furry friends are doing their part to pitch in.
Kelly’s Pet Boutique in East Lansing has also started collecting leftover fur for Matter of Trust. Owner Kelly Jimmerson said the images coming out of the Gulf, like animals covered in thick oil, have made it too hard for her to do nothing.
“I love animals and that makes me sad.” Jimmerson said. “If I can throw some dog hair for them to help [clean up the] oil spill, then I am going to do that.”
The catch is, these businesses have to pay the costs for shipping. And when you are shipping 10-pounds a day, that can be pricey. But for Douglas J, the benefits definitely outweigh the cost.
“The cost for us to ship the materials is so little compared to how this is gonna help communities affected by this oil spill,” Minnis said. “So it’s worth it to us at the end of the day.”
And as the spill keeps spreading, the Gulf Coast will need all the support it can get for the months to come.
http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/95461734.html