 | | | Meher School students set up donation boxes at MOFD Station 45 in Orinda Photo Lisa Copass
| | | | | | Efforts are underway to rally the Lamorinda community to get involved in clean-up of the tragic Gulf oil spill. What started as a 2nd grade class project at The Meher School in Lafayette, inspired and motivated many students to expanded efforts asking the community to get involved.
The community can help by donating hair and fur clippings used to make oil-absorbent booms needed to soak up oil washing on shore in the Gulf. As well, Lamorinda businesses that work with hair and fur (hair solons, barber shops, vets, pet grooming shops, farms, animal shelters, etc.) are being asked to save clippings and send them directly to warehouses along the Gulf.
The Gulf Spill Hair Boom Project started when a 2nd grade student shared with her class the idea of using her dog's shed fur for soaking up oil in the Gulf. The class was so inspired they did a little more research. As it turns out, pet fur and human hair are excellent oil-absorbers. More research led the class to a San Francisco-based organization called Matter of Trust, a non-profit organization coordinating a network of warehouses and volunteers to make the boom in the Gulf region. The student's project was to collect as much pet fur as possible within one week. They then shipped a box full to the Gulf along with colorful drawings and artwork including words of encouragement and thanks to the volunteers who hand-make the booms. The students want the community to know everyone can help and want to encourage other communities to set up collection locations and get involved too.
Thus far, the students have set up collection bins at the Orinda Fire Station, 33 Orinda Way, the Moraga Fire Station at 555 Moraga Road, and The Orinda Library (lower level alcove by the elevator). The students plan to establish more public donation stations in Lamorinda in the coming weeks. The students have also taken to the streets, asking owners of hair salons, barber shops, pet grooming shops and vets to begin collecting their fur/hair clippings. Entourage Salon and Spa in Orinda has already begun hair clipping collection. Its first donation went to the Gulf last week. Many shops are looking into the idea and plan to get started in the coming weeks.
To locate donation warehouses where you can send clippings, log onto Matter of Trust (www.matteroftrust.org). Business in the Lamorinda area that need help getting donation stations set up, contact Lisa Copass, Gulf Spill Hair Boom Project at (925) 550-1885.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA