By Jim Cavan:

The recent gulf oil spill has invited no shortage of solutions. Some say cap it with a giant, four-story cone. Others say clog it with shredded tires and golf balls. Still others suggest continuing with controlled burns, setting small batches ablaze in the hopes it will ultimately disperse.

But Acorn Organic Salon in Dover is touting a far different – and far more environmentally safe – approach: hair.

Last week, owners Allie Degan and Laura McKay began making calls to salons throughout the Seacoast in an effort to collect as much hair and nylon as possible to help aid disaster relief efforts.

Why hair? The answer is actually quite simple: hair, particularly when stuffed into nylon stockings or tubes, can absorb a tremendous amount of oil.

But while similar methods have been used on a much smaller scale with noted success, the most recent spill – which may end up being the largest in history – is anything but small scale.

According to Matter of Trust, a national organization which touts similar, eco-friendly solutions to environmental disasters and relief efforts, salons in the United States produce nearly 150 tons of hair every day. While probably not enough to completely stave off the looming ecological crises in the Gulf, for Acorn’s Allie Degan it’s simply one piece of the puzzle – and a much greener and cleaner one than those currently being proposed.

“This just goes to show that hair has a lot of incredible uses,” explains Degan, whose salon offers all organic and biodegradable products. “Not only is this program a tax write-off for the businesses that participate, but you’re making great use of something that would otherwise have ended up in a landfill.”

According to Degan, before the recent oil spill, Matter of Trust was actually so inundated with hair that they were actually turning donors away. Now, just two weeks after the disaster, they’re “begging for it”.

“We’re just trying to spearhead this effort locally, because, right now, they’re desperate for hair,” says Degan.

So desperate, in fact, that Matter of Trust has stressed recently that even dog hair from pet salons would be accepted.

In an effort to streamline the process locally, Acorn volunteered as a receiving center for any donations in the area. And while boxes of hair tend to cost $25 to ship, Degan made a point to stress that such donations are tax deductible.

If you know of a salon who would be interested in helping with the gulf’s disaster relief efforts, please contact Acorn Organic salon by calling (603) 617-3830, or by emailing acornorganicsalon@gmail.com