Things that Go Stink.

This is a quick post to let you all know about stink issues.

1. We are currently trying to identify and correct a slight diaper stink issue. It seems that after Gabe pees in his microfiber pocket diapers, the inserts are stuh-hinking, not horribly, but enough that sometimes I have to do a vinegar rinse to rid the smell from the diapers. We used Rockin Green Classic Rock the first two months of diapering, but then switched to Country Save when we ran out in an attempt to be even more economical. We had no smell issues while using Rockin Green. What I am trying to figure out is if the issue is not enough Country Save, too much Country Save, Country Save itself, or something else entirely. We are probably just going to order some more Rockin Green (maybe in a scent this time, wee!) to correct the issue.

2. Per my post on hair mats for oil, I was planning on donating my hair for hair booms. Well, I received my address from Matter of Trust earlier this month, just to receive another e-mail almost one day later to let me know that address was no longer valid because the warehouse was full. I feel silly, but I just don't want to get my hair cut and have the hair sitting around my house waiting to get shipped away. I also am reading in some places that the hair booms are not being used at all, but Matter of Trust ensures the public on its PR page that this hair will be used for booms at some point in the clean up for this spill or a future spill. I am frustrated, and I still need a hair cut.

In the meantime, you can watch this ironically and sadly funny video of a sardonic sketch on the oil spill:

I'm making a hair appointment.

It's pretty much summertime, right? And seeing as I haven't had a trip to a salon since early in my second trimester, and my almost-seventh-month-old baby has taken to literally pulling my hair out (it's no fault of his really-- my long locks are everywhere even in a ponytail at this point), it's time. For new hair.

I'd love to say that the above is the actual impetus for making this hair appointment, but it's not. I'm going to make a hair appointment for an entirely different reason:

The BP Oil Disaster.

At this point, most people know about the devastating amount of oil spewing into the ocean toward the coast of the southeastern United States, and most people are aware of how terribly long the clean-up process will be. It's hard for any authority or specialist to truly assess the damage or quantity of materials needed to rectify or protect the coast right now because the oil "spill" is still going. You can watch it live here.

What does my hair cut have to do with the oil spill?
You can use hair to help contain and collect oil! I never knew this until one of my sisters mentioned it to me, and wow, how cool it was to discover just how this process happens. And I have to say, when disaster strikes, you can sometimes feel so small. Doing something little like donating some or a lot of hair to help can be quite empowering. (That feeling of empowerment is a big part of why I donated milk for Haiti, too.) With summer hair cuts on the horizon, I think this would be a great way to do good as a family, too-- a totally teachable green effort moment for kids and parents alike.

Matters of Trust

I went the old-fashioned way and googled "oil spill hair," and my search results brought me to Matters of Trust, an organization dedicated to reallocating unneeded resources from businesses, individuals, etc., for creative reuse. Matters of Trust runs a specific program dedicated to collecting human and animal hair to create hair mats and booms to collect oil. Oil spills are not a new problem, and statistics show that millions of gallons of oil spill ever year-- in other words, donating my hair to help collect oil is something I could have already been doing, and it is something I can continue to do in the future.

Here is a Matters of Trust video illustrating how the hair gathers oil...

Amazing, right? It makes sense-- our hair is heavily able to carry oil; we shampoo our hair for this very reason. So why not send off that shampooed, oil-ready hair to help out right now? You can help protect wildlife, rectify a disaster, assist the fragile Louisiana economy, etc. etc.

Here are the directions on how to collect your hair for Matters of Trust:

1. You have to register with Matters of Trust and mark that you are interested in participating in their hair mats for oil program. Do this here.

2. Matters of Trust will e-mail you information on the process and the address to ship your hair. Follow your e-mailed directions! (I am currently waiting on mine.)

3. Collect your hair.

- Line the box with a plastic garbage bag so hair (and fur, fleece, feathers) can't slip out

- Ideally, donate shampooed hair, but it doesn't have to be. Just don't include filthy hair / fur that has stuff stuck to it.

- Any length is fine. (I think I might snip a tiny piece of my baby's hair just so I can tell him later he sent his hair to the oil spill. I think that would be cool.)

- Every type of hair is fine (straight, curly, all colors, dyed, permed, straightened...) but only HEAD hair, please! Yes, dread locks are okay to send - although we find they have fungus inside when cut open - so please separate in their own bag and mark "DREADS". They are handled separately. :)

- Sweep in all clippings, JUST HAIR, but please NO OTHER GARBAGE (gum, metal clips, paper cups, wrappers...)

- Remember volunteers (sometimes young students) have to stuff this hair into booms and don't want to feel garbage or anything sharp

- Tie the top of the bag and tape the box shut

- We also accept washed, used (even with runs) nylon stocking donations in a separate bag, please.

- We also accept fur and other "natural fibers" waste wool, alpaca fleece, horse hair, feathers... again, please, no other garbage or contaminants in with the hair/fur/ fleece fibers... (a handful total per bag of hay and seeds are ok, but no garbage and, of course, absolutely no poo!) Thanks!

- Mark the boxes DEBRIS FREE HAIR (FUR, FLEECE, FEATHERS) and / or NYLONS

- Mail boxes in to the address(es) we provide you by email AFTER you sign up (free and fast).

And that's all, folks! As always, I'll keep you posted on the process.