Earlier today, NoorB posted a little noticed diary focused on a simple, sensible, and easy way to help with the cleanup in the Gulf.
All you need is hair, fur and/or nylons.
Seriously!
Don't believe me? Jump the bump for proof . . .
Matteroftrust.org is organizing a massive effort to arrange incoming shipments of 'supplies' as well as groups to assemble the absorbent booms for quick deployment.
For once, traditional media has picked up on this effort and is actually promoting it! According to Lisa Gautier, President of Matteroftrust.org, assembly parties called Boom B Q's, are being set up now and several major news outlets, including CNN and Reuters, will be covering their progress. MSNBC had a story out back on May 1st and did another one today.
Currently, the group is so overwhelmed with donations, they are setting up Waves to handle the huge influx of materials. Per an e-mail I received earlier today, here's their game plan so far:
5/4/10
400,000 pounds of hair are on the way to addresses along the Gulf Coast for boom making party's they're calling "Boom B Qs!" We are calling this WAVE 1
We are asking all new sign ups (of which we are getting hundreds an hour now) to sign up and be patient for the next addresses for WAVE 2 as we watch the progress of the oil slick.
In the meantime, so many communities are contacting us since they are collecting hair / fur / nylons on large scales around the country. We have all decided to orchestrate a NATIONAL FIBER RECYCLING & OIL BOOM MAKING SYSTEM. With 2600 small oil spills a year all over, each community will be more prepared!
We hope this will also create green jobs (pick ups, boom making). We dream that this will bring the textile industry back to the US so we can make our mats here!
China has been recycling hair and all fibers for over 3,000 years. Their textile industry is BOOMING. Hair mats are basically like flat square dread locks, we really are industrious enough to make these in the US again, too!
NPR, Reuters International, CNN all organizing to come to the Boom B Qs so far!
They're saying this story is now also about stimulating the Economy!
YOU ARE ALL AMAZING! Please keep spreading the world - you're creating serious change! This is bigger than we ever imagined!
Here's hoping we can have our own Wave of support, ala the Shelter Box series which is still helping Haiti's recovery. I'll be doing what I can within my limited, wacky schedule to get the word out. I'd love to hear from anyone who might be participating in one of the Boom B Q's.
For my part, I've posted links on my Facebook page and put out the word with a professional organization I belong to for pet sitters. I'm thinking about putting together a flyer to hand out to local hair salons, pet groomers, vets, and anyone else I can think of. Seeing as my designs skills are sketchy, help with that wouldn't be taken as an insult. When I have that together, it'll also go to my client list via e-mail with an encouragement to forward it to their contacts. In a weird twist of irony, one of my clients works for a company that is involved in the clean up efforts and I may be watching her critters if she has to go onsite.
This one should be easy for you folks. This time we're not tapping your wallet (first, anyway...), we're tapping your trash!