Oh, those crazy hot-tubbing, wife-swapping, Al Qaeda-loving Marin County folk. It seems that now they're scalping their own children in an effort to tidy up the remaining Cosco Busan oil spill disaster. Students from Larkspur's Marin Primary and Middle School have willing lopped off locks of hair from their nubile heads, then donating said hair to Eco-Cuts, "a program designed by Marin Primary to help in the cleanup effort triggered by the Nov. 7 oil spill in the bay." Their dirty, dirty child hair will then go to Matter of Trust, a San Francisco-based environmental nonprofit that "weaves the hair into mats to soak up oil." According to the Marin Independent:

Human hair is extremely efficient at gathering grease and oil from the air, skin or water, officials noted. Hair is woven into 2-foot-square mats that are used like towels to mop up oil on beaches and in the water.

Not only do the mats pick up the oil, they're bio-degradable: Matter of Trust puts mushroom spores on the oil-covered mats, and as the mushrooms grow, they eat the oil and hair. The mushrooms are then turned into compost, and mulch and used for gardening.

That is probably the most fascinating thing we have heard, ever. Seriously, very interesting. And gross.

Actually, this is a pretty good idea. Not that we would ever donate our priceless locks--for it is filled with too much shine, body, and bounce to be used as some sort of environmental rag--but we suggest that those of you with inferior, excessively long hair check out Matter of Trust. Maybe you can help out with the continuing pollution caused by the Cosco Busan while getting a sharp new makeover?

Altered photo credit: IJ photo/Frankie Frost