When you ask someone what their hair is for, they will usually say something like “It keeps my brain warm”, or “It looks pretty”, or maybe “I chew on it”. Apparently, hair not only does all these things, but can absorb the toxins in an oil spill. Well, apparently hair doesn’t just keep you warm and help you look pretty and colorful, but it can also save the planet from destruction.
A brilliant hair-stylist named Phil McCrory became concerned that all the hair he threw out every day was valuable and could be used for something, he just wasn’t sure what that use was. Also, he knew that if he could figure out a way to sell scraps of hair from his salon, he would be absurdly rich.
“Would you like to try on a pair of my new patented hair pants?”
Phil also happened to care about the environment, and after seeing many otters covered in an oil from a recent oil-spill, he wanted figured out that if you weave scraps of human hair in a certain way and with other components, it can absorb large amounts of oil. He called his new invention “OttiMat”, because well, Phil loves otters, mats of hair, and preventing the obliteration of our planet.
The Ottimats were used to clean up huge oil spills such as the one in San Francisco Bay in 2007. Also, the mats can be wrung out and used over and over again. So next time you spill a jug of oil in the kitchen, remember that your hair isn’t just for lookin’ good!
One Response
That is amazing. I wonder how much hair would be practical in an oil spill 🙂