Two Tampa hairstylists think they are part of the solution in responding
to the April 20 explosion on a BP offshore drilling rig
that has severely threatened marine life in the Gulf of Mexico and along
the shorelines
of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
Send in the
hair, say Michael Angelo Rizzi and Anthony Bellapigna,
owners of
Michael
Angelo Hair Color Studio in South Tampa.
As a member of
Matter of Trust,
an organization that "links ideas, sparks action and
materializes sustainable systems," the studio is
collecting hair clippings to be used for hair mats and booms that will
help to soak up oil and thus clean up oil-contaminated waters.
The
absorbing power of
hair on oil spills isn't a new concept. The idea was hatched by
Phil
McCrory, a
hairstylist from Alabama who noticed how the fur on Alaskan otters was
completely soaked with oil following the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill.
Utilizing hair clippings from his salon, McCrory began testing how much
oil he could collect and soon invented the hairmat. The organization
Matter of Trust stepped in and began collecting hair clippings, sorting
them and shipping the fibers off to have batches of hairmats created for
oil spill relief. The organization even makes hair booms from loose
hair stuffed into nylon stockings. Also, once the hairmats and hair
booms are finished doing their job on oil spills, the hair is used as
fertilizer.
"We are really very passionate about protecting
and saving our environment, while rallying others to join this cause. It
doesn't really cost anything extra for salon clients or professional
hair designers to donate their hair clippings to this extremely worthy
cause created by Matter Of Trust," says Rizzi.
The team at
Michael Angelo Hair Studio is encouraging other salons in the Tampa Bay
region to join them.
"We believe in and completely support this
important green alternative for ecosystem recovery. Our ultimate goal is
to help quickly spread the word, so other Tampa area salons will take
part. We believe that you and your readers can help us spread the word
to let everyone know that helping out is as easy as getting a
haircut," says Rizzi.
Salons in the Tampa Bay region and Southern
Florida that are interested
in getting involved may contact Michael Angelo Hair Studio at
813-832-6650 or e-mail
[email protected].
Writer:
Nancy VaughnSource:
Michael Angelo Rizzi, Michael Angelo Hair Studio
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.