Eco-Initiatives

We are committed to protecting the environment, doing our part in preserving our natural resources, to providing non-toxic-as-possible services and products, and to protecting the health of humans and all living things by by making wise choices in the products we carry and represent.

Eco-Initiatives

We are committed to providing sound education to our clients and our community about making healthier living choices, especially in the area of personal care.

350.org 10/10/10 Global Work Party Edmonton River Valley Clean Up! 

Symbolic cleanup takes over Edmonton 

Volunteers hunt for litter in Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon.

Updated: Sun Oct. 10 2010 17:44:57

Jessica Earle, ctvedmonton.ca

Dozens of people dedicated at least part of their Thanksgiving Sunday to a green cause, heading down to Victoria Park for a local manifestation of a world-wide movement.

A river valley cleanup was on from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with volunteers picking up all garbage, waste and litter in sight.

The event is part of a global day of action, inspired by the website 350.org. The online resource is named for the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that scientists say is the safe limit for humanity.

"It's a symbol but also an initiative all across the globe," said organizer Taiger Harlton.

"There are more than 7,000 events going on… We have chosen a river valley cleanup to show we can come together as a community and clean up the garbage."

Participants will post their various initiatives online, hoping together they can show politicians the groundswell of support for stronger environmental policies.

Local participants are encouraged by the growing number of people taking part: four times the amount of volunteers came out this year.

And while the crew didn't clean up the city's entire greenbelt, they hope the intention behind their gesture is enough.

"I don't think it's one-tenth of a per cent of what needs to be done, but it's a little bit," said participant Adam Swonek.

To learn more about the 350.org movement, click here.

With Files from Kevin Armstrong

History of the mat & boom:

Matter of Trust is collaborating with thousands of salons throughout the US and abroad, that donate their hair clippings to soak up oil spills. Last year over 2,600 oil spills occurred in the world. They weren't all are high profile, but most had an impact on the environment. Phil McCrory, a hair stylist from Alabama, first discovered how hair can help. He was shampooing an oily head of hair while watching TV coverage on the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. He noticed the fur on the Alaskan otters completely soaked with oil and it just occurred to him. "We shampoo because hair collects oil." He began testing how much petroleum oil he could collect with the hair clipping from the floor of his salon. Phil then invented the hair mat which is made from purchased hair and felted in China. Please find Phil and our friends at www.Ottimat.com. For the last 10 years we have partnered with Phil and Ottimat to see if we can create a National Natural Fiber Recycling System so that we could make the mats here the way we make the booms.

The US has over 300,000 hair salons and each cuts an average of a pound of hair per day. Groomers usually cut 3 pounds per day! Donors generously pay out of pocket for postage to send their swept up hair clippings to either where there are temporarily donated storage spaces for emergency spills or our warehouse when space is available. There we make "booms" by stuffing hair, fur, wastewool, etc. into donated recycled nylons and mesh.